Preliminary FY25 budget shows modest operating surplus; transportation timing, insurance and evidence‑based funding highlighted

Mary Robinson, chief school business official for Minooka CCSD 201, provided a preliminary FY25 budget overview Thursday, telling the board the district currently projects to finish the year near budget and outlined assumptions the administration used in building next year’s draft.

Robinson said the district approved the current budget earlier with a $48,000 operating surplus; the spreadsheet Robinson displayed during the meeting shows an estimated operating‑fund surplus of about $315,000 under current assumptions. She cautioned the figures are preliminary and noted several timing items — most notably the final property tax distributions from Will, Kendall and Grundy counties — can change the final numbers.

Key planning assumptions and figures presented - Property taxes and timing: The district budgeted roughly $5,000,000 in property tax receipts for the planning period. Robinson said timing of county distributions matters; Will and Kendall have already made payments for the 2024 levy while Grundy typically remits later (often after July 1). Robinson described timing differences as not a change in revenue but a timing issue that affects the year‑end balance. - Local revenue growth assumption: The FY25 local revenue estimate used a 6% increase on the 2025 levy assumption; Robinson described 6% as modestly conservative compared with recent years when increases have been 7–9%. - Evidence‑based funding: Robinson used a $250,000 estimate for new state evidence‑based funding in FY25; she noted district placement between tier 1 and tier 2 can shift and expects the state calculation to be finalized in July. - Federal grants: Robinson included known allotments for Title I and Title IV but noted the Title II allotment had not yet been announced; last year’s Title II allotment was $98,000 and she did not assume Title II in the conservative baseline until notification arrives. - Health insurance: Robinson said she increased health insurance budgeting by 5% for planning purposes (up from an effective 3% adjustment used previously) to reflect both cost and additional staff whose benefits will be covered. - Transportation: The budget reflects an operational shift of transportation responsibilities to District 111; Robinson said the transportation fund currently shows a projected deficit of approximately $195,000 driven by timing and pension/retirement cost transitions but expects higher state reimbursement to follow in subsequent years. - Life safety fund: Robinson said the district has been building a balance in Fund 90 to prepare for a pending life‑safety survey in 2026 and to pay for resulting projects.

Robinson emphasized timing and that the board will see a tentative budget in July and a budget for formal approval in September. She told the board she used recent historical receipts and conservative assumptions where data were not final.

Board questions and follow‑up Board members asked for clarification about the evidence‑based funding tiering, county tax timing, health insurance assumptions and how the transportation change was estimated. Robinson said she expects the state evidence‑based funding calculation in July, described the health insurance 5% increase as a planning buffer, and said transportation estimates were “educated guesses” based on staffing and route counts while the district transitions responsibilities.

Ending Robinson said the district will bring a tentative budget to the board in July, provide updates in August and seek board approval in September. She said final property tax distributions and state allocations could change the numbers presented but that the assumptions provide a conservative planning baseline.