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D11 presents targeted mid-year budget modifications focused on literacy, dyslexia services and academics
Summary
Superintendent and finance staff presented a mid-year budget modification request that shifts roughly $5.5 million toward academic supports, literacy curriculum work, dyslexia and tutoring, and a limited recurring compensation item negotiated last year. District leaders said the request is smaller and more focused than prior mid-year packages.
District 11 administrators presented a mid-year budget modification package on Jan. 8 that they said totals roughly $5.5 million and is tightly focused on academic supports, literacy curriculum updates and dyslexia/tutoring programs.
Superintendent Gahl and Dr. Comfort (staff) told the board the package is smaller than past mid-year requests and that most items are nonrecurring investments to boost student supports midyear. The district's finance team said the certified pupil count came in lower than budgeted and the assessed valuation estimate used for the adopted budget was revised, but administrators still proposed the targeted changes.
Highlighted components discussed by staff and the budget subcommittee included funding for: - Literacy curriculum review and pilot work (district-wide curriculum refresh planning) - Continued dyslexia supports and reading interventions, including tutoring (district cited an ask of about $450,000 for targeted reading interventions and Lexia-related supports) - A limited recurring compensation increment tied to a negotiated item from last year (described as the 14/25-year step increment negotiated after the budget adoption) - Targeted school and program investments rather than broad recurring new positions
Budget subcommittee chair Carl Schuler told the board the subcommittee supported the focused approach but urged the district to begin phasing recurring needs into annual budgets rather than relying on mid-year relief repeatedly.
Why it matters: The mid-year packet addresses literacy and intervention needs the district identified in school improvement plans and aims to keep funds directed toward the classroom as much as possible. Administrators said grants and one-time federal ESSER funds are winding down and the district must be disciplined in projecting recurring costs.
What's next: The mid-year modification will appear as an action item at a subsequent board meeting for formal approval; district staff said they will post detailed grant adjustments and baseline budget changes for board review prior to action.
