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North Polk board approves FY26 budget, holds public hearing on $13.96 million levy
Summary
After a public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, the North Polk Community School District board approved the district's tax levy and spending plan, keeping the tax rate level at 18.77117 and levying $13,962,000 for FY26.
The North Polk Community School District Board of Education approved the district's fiscal year 2026 budget following a public hearing at its regular meeting. District staff presented enrollment and revenue assumptions used to set the $13,962,000 levy and an unchanged tax rate of 18.77117 per $1,000 of taxable valuation.
District finance staff member Chris presented the budget and explained the assumptions that shaped FY26 planning: certified and served enrollment counts, weighted enrollment for students receiving additional services, and conservative state funding assumptions. Chris said fiscal-year enrollment used in the budget came from the district's February projection and that certified enrollment for FY26 was 2,191.7 (a net increase of about 46 students, or 2.15%). He told the board the budget submission assumed a 2% state supplemental aid (SSA) increase because the state House and Senate had not finalized SSA at the time the budget was published.
Chris also reviewed property valuation mechanics in Iowa, including assessed value, the rollback (noted at roughly 47% in the presentation), homestead/military credits and how those interact with the uniform levy ($5.40 per $1,000) and additional levies. He explained the district's focus on its solvency ratio, noting the board has a target solvency ratio of 10% to 15% and discussed the district's historical unspent authorized budget (UAB) trend. Chris said the budget set the district's projected tax levy at $13,962,000 and the tax rate at 18.77117, identical to the current year.
Board members thanked staff for the detailed presentation and for keeping the levy level in a year of state funding uncertainty. Several board members and the superintendent reiterated concerns about statewide property-tax reform proposals and the continuing underfunding of public schools at the state level; they encouraged constituents to follow legislative developments.
After the public hearing closed, a motion to approve the FY26 budget was made and seconded. The board approved the budget by voice vote.
Clarifying details provided at the hearing included: the budget used a 2% SSA assumption for state aid; certified enrollment for FY26 of 2,191.7 students; a proposed levy of $13,962,000; and the unchanged tax rate of 18.77117 per $1,000. Chris explained the district's solvency target of 10% to 15% and noted unspent authorized budget (UAB) should ideally be in the 5% to 15% range. The superintendent and board said line-item budgets and department allocations will follow the levy approval and that the board and finance committee will monitor expenditures through the year.
Votes at a glance
- Motion: Approve Fiscal Year 2026 North Polk budget (taxes levied on property $13,962,000; tax rate 18.77117). Outcome: approved by voice vote following the public hearing. (Motion and second: not specified on the record; board responded "Aye.")
Context: The board's approval finalizes the district's submission for state reporting and allows staff to move to line-item budgets and department allocations ahead of the July 1 fiscal year start.
