Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Centennial School District board adopts $159.96 million 2025–26 budget, sets tax levy
Summary
The Centennial School District board unanimously adopted a $159,964,707 budget for fiscal year 2025–26, including a $99,613,216 general fund and use of $1.9 million in fund balance; the board also set appropriations and the property tax levy for the year.
The Centennial School District Board on Wednesday adopted the district’s 2025–26 budget totaling $159,964,707 and set its tax levy and appropriations for the fiscal year.
Board members approved a general fund budget of $99,613,216 and other fund budgets totaling $60,351,491, and the administration said the plan uses $1,900,000 of fund balance to preserve current programs and services. Director Sotherton, who presented the budget, described it as “student-focused” and aligned with the district’s Roadmap 2027 goals.
The budget funds priorities the administration listed as building a strong pre-K–3 foundation, supporting student well-being and inclusion, centering student voice, ensuring equitable access to high-quality academics and preparing students for future careers. The presentation noted continued investments in co-curricular activities, career and technical education partnerships (including Mt. Hood Community College), special education supports, and mental health services.
Director Sotherton said the district is forecasting average elementary class sizes of approximately 25, and a general-education teacher-to-enrollment ratio of about 1:23 at middle and high school levels, noting variability because of electives and prep periods. He said the district used a state school fund estimate of $11.4 billion for the next biennium in preparing the forecast.
Board members thanked the budget committee and business office staff for extensive review; Director Harden noted the committee answered “more than 75 questions” during its process. Vice Chair Shields recounted a parent who read the budget book and praised the district’s transparency.
After the public hearing on the budget (no public comments were offered), a motion to adopt the budget, appropriate funds, and categorize and levy ad valorem taxes carried. The board recorded the motion and verbal unanimous approval; individual roll-call votes were not read aloud in the transcript.
The administration’s presentation and the board’s action stated that appropriations expire June 30, 2026, and that taxes excluded from limitations will be deposited in the debt service fund for repayment of the district’s general-obligation bonded debt. The administration also presented a proposed permanent tax rate for the general fund in its materials (see provenance for the presentation excerpt); the transcript contained a formatting error in the stated rate, and the board materials should be consulted for the official printed rate.
The board recessed briefly after the vote and scheduled an executive session later in the evening.
Votes at a glance: motion to adopt the 2025–26 Centennial School District budget, to appropriate funds for 2025–26, and to categorize and levy ad valorem taxes — motion carried; recorded as unanimously approved in the meeting transcript (individual vote names not specified).
