Broken Arrow Board approves $195 million 2025–26 budget, ratifies teacher pay changes and a virtual-instruction plan

The Broken Arrow Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to adopt a $195,000,000 general-fund operating budget for the 2025–26 school year, ratify a negotiated agreement that raises certified salary steps by $100, adopt a new tuition-reimbursement policy (policy 5335) and approve a virtual-instruction plan required under state law.

The actions were part of a broader consent- and action-item package approved during the regular board meeting in Broken Arrow. Board President Allen called each roll call; Dr. Williams, Mrs. Taylor, Dr. Roulette and President Allen each voted yes on the major items listed below.

Board finance staff described the adopted general-fund expenditure budget as $195,000,000, up from $192,000,000 the prior year, reflecting step and salary increases plus federal grant changes. Natalie, a district finance staff member, told the board the district expects ad valorem growth of about 6–7% across both counties and that a midterm allocation in January — based on official October 1 enrollment — could affect revenue estimates.

“It is a point of pride that we stay well below that percentage,” Natalie said, referring to the district's administrative-cost rate of 3.57% for 2024–25, which she said remains under the state's 5% regulatory cap.

The board adopted a $20,500,000 building-fund budget intended primarily for capital improvements, supported in part by recent state funding tied to average-daily-attendance. Child-nutrition revenues and expenditures were presented as essentially flat at about $6.16 million for the coming year, with one-time equipment and life-cycle replacements planned.

On personnel matters, the board approved adoption of Board of Education policy 5335, formalizing a tuition-reimbursement program the district had previously managed through procedure. The board also ratified a negotiated agreement with BAEA (the district's certified association) that includes a $100 increase to every certified step in the compensation schedule, changes to extra-duty stipends and no language changes to contract terms.

Superintendent Perry and board staff said the negotiated increases were reflected in the operating budget the board approved. Board members moved and seconded the measures and called the roll for each vote.

The board also approved Change Order No. 1 to Key Construction's contract for the Sequoia Eighth Grade Academy project, resulting in a net decrease to the contractor's contract of $1,247,840.83, which staff said was due to unused contingency and allowances being returned to the district.

On instructional policy, the board approved a district virtual-instruction plan the state requires because of Senate Bill 758. James, a district staff member presenting the plan, said the legislation restricts the district's prior use of virtual instructional days and limits allowable virtual days to two in the event the governor declares a state of emergency.

“Senate Bill 758 ' has restricted us to only two virtual days beginning next year, only if the governor states that there is a state of emergency,” James said. He told the board the district will submit a plan that documents technology readiness (1:1 devices in grades 6–12 and checkout capacity at the elementary level), food provision and bus transportation for those emergency days; the state will review and may request revisions before final approval.

The board also set the district's graduation date for the year as Monday, May 18, with May 19 and 20 held as contingency dates for inclement weather; project-graduation vendors were noted as being flexible if dates shift.

Votes at a glance - Approval of Regular Board Meeting minutes (Aug. 11): approved; roll call: Dr. Williams ' yes; Mrs. Taylor ' yes; Dr. Roulette ' yes; Mr. Allen ' yes. - General consent items 9'102 (consent agenda): approved; roll call: Williams/Taylor/Roulette/Allen ' unanimous yes. - Adoption of Board Policy 5335 (tuition reimbursement): approved; roll call unanimous. - Ratification of negotiated agreement with BAEA (2025'126): approved; roll call unanimous. Key terms: $100 increase to each certified step; extra-duty stipend modifications; no contract-language changes. - Adoption of the 2025'126 operating budget (general fund $195,000,000): approved; roll call unanimous. - Change Order No. 1 to Key Construction for Sequoia Eighth Grade Academy (net decrease $1,247,840.83): approved; roll call unanimous. - Approval of district virtual-instruction plan (per SB 758): approved; roll call unanimous. - Motion to move into executive session: approved; roll call unanimous.

Why it matters The budget and negotiated pay changes set the district's fiscal and personnel priorities for the coming school year, including one-time stipends and step increases that affect certified staff pay and classroom supports. The virtual-instruction plan responds to a state law change that reduces the district's flexibility to schedule virtual professional-development and testing days as instructional days, which administrators warned could increase costs or complicate large-scale testing logistics.

What's next Board staff will submit the district's virtual-instruction plan to the State Department of Education for review by the Nov. 1 deadline and will return to the board if the state requests changes. The budget will be implemented for the 2025'126 fiscal year; staff said the midterm allocation in January could require later adjustments depending on the district's official enrollment count.