Superintendent outlines proposed FY2026 budget; board schedules special meeting to adopt

Superintendent Dr. Stewart presented a proposed fiscal year 2026 budget at the Bullhead City School Board meeting on June 10 and outlined a final June revision to the 2024–25 financials.

Dr. Stewart said she had moved roughly $220,000 from capital back into Maintenance & Operations (M&O) to allow those funds to roll over, after confirming with the district’s auditors that a June revision was allowable. The revision increased available M&O funds by about $220,000; the superintendent said she pre‑purchased some software licenses and hardware this year to avoid price increases, reducing the expected rollover into next year.

The superintendent reported the district’s projected carryover into FY2026 is about $1.03 million, down from prior years when carryover reached $2.2 million or higher. "Our carryover into this budget is a hair over a million dollars," Dr. Stewart said. She told trustees that previous years' larger carryovers reflected special circumstances and caution during funding uncertainty.

Dr. Stewart also explained program shifts: she moved ~$286,100 previously budgeted in M&O into an IDEA (special education) grant account after an accounting clarification, reducing the M&O outlay for special education this year. She noted Classroom Site Fund (local sales‑tax money) per‑pupil funding is projected to rise from $792 to $842 next year; the district funds music and art positions from that source.

Board members were told the legislature had not yet finalized K‑12 funding, so the proposed budget uses current‑year figures and will be revised once state allocations are set. The board scheduled a special meeting to adopt the budget at 3:00 p.m. on July 7; a regular meeting will follow on July 17.

The board approved Revision No. 3 for the 2024–25 budget and several personnel and salary schedule items related to the FY2025 closeout during the meeting.