Board approves FY 2025 revised budget; staff report $2.5M general-fund surplus estimate

Tyler Denny, director of finance for Independent School District 191, presented the fiscal year 2025 revised budget during the Jan. 23 meeting and asked the board to approve updated revenue and expenditure totals.

Denny told the board general fund revenue is “just below $162,000,000,” with state general and categorical aid accounting for roughly $111,000,000 (about 69%). He said general fund spending is heavily personnel-driven and noted the district estimates a $2.5 million general-fund surplus for FY25, bringing the fund-balance percentage to about 24.91%.

Denny also presented all-funds figures and recommended formal approval of the FY25 revised budget, which he said includes all-funds revenues of $217,519,765 and all-funds expenditures of $215,865,457. He attributed year-to-date revenue increases to items including adjusted state special-education aid, higher investment earnings and new REED Act funding streams.

Board members asked for details on changes in specific budget units. A board member identified as Scott asked about the approximately $7 million increase in revenues compared with the adopted budget; Denny said that increase reflects state special-education aid adjustments and investment-earning assumptions, plus REED Act revenue of about $500,000. Questions about sub-budget swings (elementary, middle-school instruction lines) elicited answers pointing to trends in substitute staffing costs and contract/ personnel changes since the adopted budget.

Motion and vote: Director Ault moved to approve the FY 2025 revised budget as presented; the motion was seconded by Director Hume. The board voted unanimously to approve the revision.