Bellevue School District board adopts 2025–26 budget and approves capital transfers for technology and interest

The Bellevue School District board of directors approved the districtbudget for 2025'026 and two related resolutions that transfer $31,544,069 from the capital projects fund to the general fund for technology licensing and related costs, and that designate approximately $1,300,000 in capital-projects interest to the general fund. The board voted to approve the three resolutions by roll call during the public meeting.

Why it matters: the general fund appropriation in the adopted budget is $433,251,999, and district staff told the board that local levies supply roughly 24% of annual district revenue. Board members and staff said restoring the districtfund balance is a priority after the district ended 2024'025 with a negative fund balance and entered binding conditions with the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).

Board and staff described the adopted budget as an attempt to "right size spending, strengthen systems, [and] uplift students," in the superintendent's words. Superintendent Kelly Aramaki said the budget reflects corrections to prior assumptions and a focus on bringing expenditures in line with projected revenues. "This budget attempts to right size our spending and bring our spending within our revenue," Aramaki said during the presentation.

Budget details and risks

Interim Chief Financial Officer Lauren Tillman summarized the key numbers in the districtfund: she said the budgeted revenues exceed budgeted expenditures by $2,000,000 but that the projected ending fund balance for 2025'026 is a negative $2,999,099, consistent with the conditions the district is operating under with OSPI. Tillman told the board that the district's primary risks include higher-than-expected special-education costs, lower-than-expected fall enrollment, unplanned new staff positions, and transportation ridership below projections. "Special education needs and expenditures continue to exceed what is in the budget," she said.

Staff described steps taken to improve internal controls and budget accuracy: new position-control processes between finance and HR, strengthened enrollment-to-staffing coordination, a monthly finance report, and an audit and finance advisory council that includes community financial experts. Tillman and Aramaki also said process improvements increased the district's safety-net (special-education reimbursement) collections to about $10.5 million for the 2024'025 period, which they characterized as an important recovery of reimbursable spending.

Program and operational impacts

District leadership told the board the adopted budget preserves core student services including advanced learning, special education and multilingual learning, while tightening operational spending and reducing staff flexibility. Aramaki warned families that conservative staffing allocations may lead to schedule and class-assignment adjustments during the first two to three weeks of school and that a small number of elementary combination classes or constrained electives might occur if enrollment is lower than projected.

Human Resources Executive Director Jeff Thomas described how the district manages teacher absences. He said class coverage (existing teachers giving up a prep period to cover others) is used mainly at secondary schools and that "any day that we have a total of teacher absence above 10%, there's a high likelihood that we'll have class coverage." That approach reduces the need to hire substitutes for partial-day coverage.

Policy context and follow-up

The board and staff noted the district entered binding conditions with OSPI, which provides oversight and gives the district tools such as interfund borrowing and the ability to use one-time property-sale proceeds to rebuild reserves. Staff said the board has approved the sale of surplus property for $30,000,000, expected to close no later than spring 2027, and emphasized that renewal of the local levy (the board plans a February election) is a critical long-term revenue source: staff said local levies supply roughly 24% of the district's annual revenue.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 2025-10: Adopt 2025'026 final appropriations (general fund appropriation $433,251,999; capital projects $128,767,282; transportation vehicle fund $1,500,000; debt service $88,878,613; associated student body $6,834,960). Outcome: approved by roll-call vote. Vote tally: unanimous (all board directors present voted yes). Motion and second: not specified in the public record.

- Resolution 2025-11: Authorize transfer of up to $31,544,069 from capital projects fund to general fund to pay for technology licenses, subscriptions and related costs. Outcome: approved by roll-call vote. Vote tally: unanimous. Motion and second: not specified.

- Resolution 2025-12: Designate approximately $1,300,000 in capital-projects interest to be transferred to the general fund for instructional supplies and materials. Outcome: approved by roll-call vote. Vote tally: unanimous. Motion and second: not specified.

Public comment and other items

Two members of the public spoke during the comment period. Pam Wornath asked for information about a property purchase in Westwood Highlands and was told the board's staff will respond to inquiries at board@bsd405.org. Other public speakers raised concerns about community access to school facilities and meeting procedures; those remarks were recorded but did not result in board action.

Where this leaves the district: board members and staff said the budget and accompanying transfers aim to stabilize operations while the district works to restore a positive fund balance. Board members repeatedly emphasized the need for continued transparency, legislative advocacy for increased state funding, and community support for the upcoming levy renewal.