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Ralston board approves 2025–26 budget, property tax resolution and multiple policy updates
Summary
At its Sept. 22 meeting the Ralston Public Schools Board approved the 2025–26 budget, a property tax resolution and a series of policy amendments; board members said the district will use reserve funds to reduce the tax levy while keeping flexibility for future years.
RALSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD — Sept. 22, 2025 — The Ralston Public Schools Board of Education voted Tuesday to adopt the district's 2025–26 budget, approve a property-tax resolution and enact several policy amendments, with board members saying the district will use reserves to reduce the tax levy while keeping flexibility to respond to state-level revenue changes.
The board approved a $2025–26 budget that includes staff pay increases ranging from about 2.5% to 5% and an insurance cost increase of roughly 5.5%. Board and staff presentations said those increases, plus other ongoing expenses, account for much of the budget growth. The district also won board approval to retain an option to use an additional 5% property-tax authority in future years as an insurance policy against revenue uncertainty; the board did not tap the previously authorized 5% this year.
Why it matters: The actions set the district's spending plan and tax posture for the year, affect employees' compensation and influence how much revenue the district will request from property taxpayers. Board members and staff framed the property-tax authority decision as a prudential step given continuing uncertainty in state aid.
Key details - Budget highlights: staff raises (2.5%–5%), insurance up about 5.5%; board materials said the district has room to absorb some state-aid reductions by using cash reserves. - Tax posture: The board approved a resolution preserving an additional 5% property-tax authority for future years (described by staff as an "insurance policy"). Separately, the board approved a property-tax resolution that staff said will allow the district to reduce the tax levy by roughly 4% for taxpayers in the coming year by using reserves and not fully drawing on all authority. - Policy changes: The board amended or adopted multiple policies, including student free expression, school-day attendance and homebound instruction. The board deferred other recommended language changes for follow-up (notably a proposed change on head-lice guidance that staff said they would check with district nurses).
Votes at a glance - Motion: Approve consent agenda as presented (minutes, resignations). Outcome: passed. Vote record (as read at meeting): Missus Richards — aye; Miss Rorty — aye; Missus Kumar — aye; Missus Krauss — aye; Missus Billie — aye. Tally: yes 5 / no 0 / abstain 0.
- Motion: Approve resolution allowing board flexibility in determining property-tax authority. Outcome: passed. Vote record: Missus Huff — aye; Missus Richards — aye; Missus Krauss — aye; Missus Willie — aye; Miss Brody — aye; Missus Kumar — aye. Tally: yes 6 / no 0 / abstain 0.
- Motion: Approve the 2025–26 budget as presented. Outcome: passed. Vote record: Miss Rorty — aye; Missus Krauss — aye; Missus Richards — aye; Missus Kumar — aye; Missus Willey — aye; Missus Howe — aye. Tally: yes 6 / no 0 / abstain 0.
- Motion: Approve property-tax resolution (as public-hearing item). Outcome: passed. Vote record (as read at meeting): Miss Rorty — aye; Missus Hupp — aye; Missus Willie — aye; Missus Richards — aye; Missus Krauss — aye. Tally: yes 5 / no 0 / abstain 0.
- Motion: Amend policy 5056 (student free expression). Outcome: passed. Vote record: Missus Kumar — aye; Missus Huff — aye; Missus Willie — aye; Missus Richards — aye; Missus Krauss — aye; Miss Rodey — aye. Tally: yes 6 / no 0 / abstain 0.
- Motion: Amend policy 6014 (school-day attendance — scheduled events language). Outcome: passed. Vote record: Missus Huff — aye; Missus Billy — aye; Missus Richards — aye; Missus Krauss — aye; Miss Rodey — aye; Missus Kummer — aye. Tally: yes 6 / no 0 / abstain 0.
- Motion: Amend policy 6016 (homebound instruction per policy-service recommendation). Outcome: passed. Vote record: Miss Rorty — aye; Missus Hough — aye; Missus Richards — aye; Missus Willie — aye; Missus Krauss — aye. Tally: yes 5 / no 0 / abstain 0.
- Motion: Approve district safety plan (as presented 9/8/2025). Outcome: passed. Vote record: Missus Krauss — aye; Missus Richards — aye; Missus Rorty — aye; Missus Willie — aye; Missus Comerow — aye; Missus Hap — aye. Tally: yes 6 / no 0 / abstain 0.
- Motion: Approve option-enrollment resolution as written. Outcome: passed. Vote record: Missus Richards — aye; Missus Hupp — aye; Missus Rorty — aye; Missus Coommer — aye; Missus Cross — aye; Missus Billy — aye. Tally: yes 6 / no 0 / abstain 0.
Discussion and follow-up - Head-lice policy language: board members asked staff to confirm current practice with district nurses and bring a clarified recommendation back; no final policy change was made at the meeting on that item. - Staff stressed the district will rely partly on cash reserves to achieve a 4% levy reduction for taxpayers this year while preserving flexibility for future years.
Ending Board members and staff said they would provide further details to the public about how the budget and levy decisions affect property-tax rates and would return with clarifying updates on the head-lice policy after consultation with school nurses.
