State Board of Education seeks new staff, IT and one-time workforce grants in FY2026 budget

The Office of the State Board of Education asked the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Thursday for funding and staff increases tied to new responsibilities moved into the office and several program enhancements, including a $15 million, one‑time public workforce capacity grant proposed by the governor.

The request covers three divisions — OSB Administration, IT and Data Management, and the School Safety and Security Program — and reflects recent transfers of programs and positions from other state entities. Lawmakers pressed Executive Director Joshua Whitworth and department staff about the pace of centralization, the role of user fees versus appropriations, and whether some requests require legislation.

Kevin Campbell, a Budget and Policy Analyst with the Legislative Services Office, reviewed base and historical budgets for the Office. He told the committee the three divisions’ base budgets total roughly $55.3 million across personnel and operating lines (OSB Administration: $45,100,000 and 49.75 FTE; IT and Data Management: $8,900,000 and 27 FTE; School Safety and Security: $1,300,000 and 7.5 FTE) and that OSB currently has 84.25 authorized FTE with eight vacancies. Campbell also noted the budget’s federal COVID and ARPA inflows have made multi‑year comparisons uneven and highlighted the $30 million…