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Board hears $3.04 million in required carryovers and a preview of 2025–26 budget impacts including potential levy increase
Summary
Finance staff told the board that roughly $3.042 million in carryovers — including $2.5 million in required grant carryovers — will be rolled into the 2025–26 budget; staff previewed DPI equalization aid numbers and warned the board may see a tax levy increase tied to unfunded state aid.
District finance staff presented required budget carryovers totaling approximately $3,042,000 that the administration will request to move from fiscal year 2024–25 into 2025–26. Staff said roughly $2.5 million of the total represents mandatory grant carryovers (for items such as common school library funds, mental‑health grants and special education transition grants) that must be spent in the intended program year.
Staff explained other carryovers include donations designated for specific schools and theater co‑curricular balances that by policy must be used for their intended programs. The board was told required class 1 notice will be published in the Kenosha News after formal action.
Finance staff also provided an initial preview of the 2025–26 budget and the district’s certified equalization aid from the Department of Public Instruction. The presenter said the DPI July 1 estimate for equalization aid was about $147.5 million statewide, while the district’s recalculation used a different estimate that came in at about $145.1 million; staff noted the state pot of equalization aid did not increase from the prior year and that districts receiving per‑pupil increases last year will see local tax levies adjust under the revenue limit formula to make up the unfunded portion.
Staff said the equalization aid numbers and voucher payments both affect the revenue limit and that final adoption of the 2025–26 budget is scheduled for the Oct. 28 board meeting. During the special meeting staff asked the board to formally approve the carryovers so those funds can be spent in 2025–26; the transcript records the carryover adoption as completed but does not include a recorded roll‑call tally in the meeting excerpt.
