Spearfish School Board adopts 2025-26 budget, raises special-education levy by 2¢
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Summary
The Spearfish School District board approved the 2025-26 budget and a 2-cent increase to the special-education levy, a change the district says will generate roughly $30,000 and reduce the projected draw on fund balance.
The Spearfish School District 40-2 Board of Education on June 9 adopted the district budget for the 2025-26 school year and approved a 2-cent increase to the district's special-education levy.
Board members voted to set the special-education levy at $1.21 per $1,000 of assessed value, a change the board's presenter said will generate about $30,000 in additional revenue. The presenter said that with the increase the district would not have to draw deeply on its fund balance; a previously projected draw of roughly $37,000 would be reduced to closer to $6,000.
The board's presenter said the state maximum for the special-education levy is 1.462 per $1,000 and that the district's adopted rate remains below that cap. The presenter also noted the district is foregoing some potential revenue compared with the statewide maximum, a figure he said would amount to approximately $759,000 in unlevied revenue (as described in the staff materials).
Board members moved and approved the budget as presented. The vote was taken orally and recorded as approved during the public meeting; no roll-call tally by name appears in the transcript.
Board discussion focused on the levy change and the district's projected revenues and expenditures; staff provided a written budget document showing expenditures, revenues and recommended levy rates for capital and operations.
The board did not adopt any changes to other levy lines during the motion and directed staff to implement the adopted levy and budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
The district noted the budget documents and levy rates will be available in the board packet and posted as required by district policy and state law.
