Brookings School District previews nearly $61 million preliminary budget; flags special-education costs, insurance increases

Stacy Van Beek, Business Financial Director of Financial Services for Brookings School District 05-1, presented a preliminary 2025–26 budget to the school board, saying, “Numbers are still fluid at this point.” The district’s all-funds budget as presented is “almost $61,000,000,” with a general fund budget just under $29,700,000.

The presentation emphasized several drivers that could change the final numbers before adoption. Van Beek said the district does not yet have all Title grant amounts because the state is still setting some allocations after taking over certain functions from the federal Department of Education. She also noted enrollment is being treated as steady for budgeting purposes but could change, and employee benefit selections (single vs. family coverage) are a key variable: “If they take single health and dental, it’s about $6,900 a year. And if they take family, it’s almost $20,000 a year.”

Van Beek told the board that, compared with last year’s budget, the district’s total is lower primarily because Fund 41 (capital projects) will not include a large building project this year. “Last year, we were at almost $75,000,000, but we did have fund 41 for capital projects, which was about $12,500,000, which will not happen since we don’t have a building project going on,” she said.

Nut graf: The preliminary figures show the district balancing rising personnel and benefit costs with lower capital spending, while special-education funding remains the largest near-term uncertainty. District leaders said they plan final adoption in July or August once state aid and grant figures are finalized.

Key budget points

- All funds (preliminary): nearly $61 million. - General fund (preliminary): approximately $29.7 million, roughly half of the all-funds total. - State aid: Van Beek said the district received a 1.25% state-aid increase, putting state aid per student at just under $7,500 in the presented numbers. - Enrollment: The district recorded about 70 more students this year than the prior year; budget assumptions currently hold enrollment steady for planning. - Capital outlay: preliminary capital-outlay budget is just…