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Superintendent and finance director outline legislative developments and preliminary budget showing $154 million in expenditures
Summary
Superintendent Funk and Finance Director Marie presented a legislative update affecting pensions, unemployment for hourly school employees, paid family medical leave and a preliminary general-fund budget showing projected revenue of about $152.9 million and expenditures near $154 million, with planned use of fund balance to balance the gap.
Superintendent Funk and Finance Director Marie presented an update on legislative activity that could affect district finances and a preliminary budget picture for the coming year.
On legislation, Funk said the conference process had not finished and that final action could occur in a short special session. He identified several items of interest: • Teachers’ Retirement Association (TRA): early-retirement language was changed so the rule-of-90-style thresholds are shifted toward eligibility at 60 years and 30 years of service; Funk said the district will cover the required contribution increase (0.31 percentage points) through state aid or reimbursement so the district should incur no net cost for the TRA change. • Unemployment for hourly school employees: lawmakers agreed to fund the benefit through the 2026–27 biennium with roughly $100,000,000 statewide; Funk said the district expects to be made whole for summer unemployment costs. • Paid Family Medical Leave (state payroll tax): Funk said the state-level rate discussion varied (0.7–0.8% originally, later numbers up to 1.2%); the district has budgeted for an employer share and the district and bargaining units will negotiate who bears what share in contracts.
On the budget, Finance Director Marie walked the board through the preliminary general-fund picture. Key figures presented: • Projected general-fund revenue for the preliminary budget: about $152.9 million. • Projected general-fund expenditures in the preliminary plan: about $154.0 million. • The gap is being covered in part by use of fund balance and by applying one-time operating capital for certain items (for example, literacy curriculum purchase); Marie said the district plans for a $1+ million purchase of the literacy curriculum and currently expects about $300,000 in state support for that purchase. • The district reported a current fund-balance level in the low single digits (roughly 1.2%) and reiterated a multi-year goal to reach a 5% fund balance.
Marie said priority-based budgeting adjustments reduced projected shortfalls; the board will receive updated numbers at an early-June meeting and a final budget update on June 17 for possible approval.
No final budget action was taken at the meeting; the board asked for updated numbers after ongoing legislative action is resolved.
