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Board adopts preliminary 2025–26 budget with staffing increases and conservative state funding assumption
Summary
North Kansas City Schools adopted a preliminary budget for 2025–26 that assumes a state adequacy target of $68.60, adds 74 staff positions and incorporates a recent $100 million bond issuance; final numbers will be updated when county and DESE figures are finalized.
The North Kansas City Schools Board of Education adopted a preliminary budget for the 2025–26 fiscal year at its June meeting. Staff described the approval as statutorily required before the July 1 start of the fiscal year and said several figures in the document remain preliminary pending county and state updates.
Chief points: the budget includes an assumed state adequacy target (SAT) of $68.60 per pupil for planning; staff told the board they set a conservative SAT because of uncertainty about final state actions. The budget also plans for 74 additional positions next year — 27 certified positions, 40 classified positions (including 29 paraprofessionals) and seven new administrative roles — and reflects the district's recent $100,000,000 bond issuance.
Finance staff described fund balance goals and debt levels. “This is statutorily mandated that we approve a budget prior to the beginning of the next fiscal year and that beginning is July 1,” said Matt Fritz, finance staff. Fritz said the district projects a year‑end fund balance near 17% and emphasized that the fund balance provides working capital from June until the large property tax receipts arrive in late January. He also told the board the district’s debt is “close to $500,000,000,” including the most recent issuance.
Staff warned of two key external uncertainties: a preliminary county assessed valuation that staff initially estimated at a 3% increase but later received a preliminary number near 14% (which would require a larger tax‑rate rollback), and the possibility that the governor could withhold state payments even after the legislature passed full formula funding. Fritz said staff set the SAT conservatively because the governor had previously asked for a different funding level and withholding remains a possibility.
What happens next: staff will update the budget in September after DESE posts final transfer amounts and when the county issues final assessed valuation numbers. The board also approved a final amendment to the FY24–25 budget and a resolution authorizing year‑end transfers at the same meeting.
Ending: By approving the preliminary budget, the board met the statutory deadline while leaving room for adjustments when final state and county figures are available.
