Board approves 2025–26 budget, salary schedules and related budget changes
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Summary
The Grain Valley R-V Board of Education approved the district's 2025'26 budget and salary schedules, passed a year-end budget transfer and a 2024'25 budget amendment, and adopted a revised 2025'26 school calendar that converts two early-release days to full professional development days.
The Grain Valley R-V Board of Education approved the district's operating budget and related personnel and fiscal measures during its June meeting.
Board members voted to adopt the 2025'26 budget as presented, approved the district's salary schedules for the 2025'26 school year and authorized a final 2024'25 budget transfer and a year-end budget amendment. The board also approved a revised 2025'26 district calendar that converts Sept. 26 and Feb. 13 from three-hour early-release days to full professional-development days.
The superintendent's budget presentation to the board reflected a state adequacy increase included in the district's revenue assumptions and a $1,100 increase to the base teacher salary that will be applied alongside existing step increases. Noncertified staff and administrators received comparable percentage increases applied to their pay schedules.
The board approved two transfers from the district's operating fund to the capital projects fund (Fund 40): the full transportation transfer of $521,390 and a partial 7% transfer of $1,609,152.21 (the district noted it reduced the full allowable 7% transfer by $365,829 because of bond-related expenses that had been recorded in the operating fund). After the transfers the district estimated a Fund 40 reserve of about 22.7%.
The budget amendment reduced projected property-tax revenue by $550,000 because collections are lagging and some tax protests remain open. The amendment also adjusted other revenue and expense lines, including a roughly $230,000 reduction in reimbursable special-education (ECSE) revenue and timing changes on bond-related expenditures and a kitchen remodel. Bond spending was reduced from earlier estimates, producing a net operating surplus (when bond spending is excluded) of about $366,000 in the amendment.
Board members and staff discussed delinquent property-tax collection trends and whether the district should change its assumed collection rate for budgeting. Staff said the district historically budgeted at about a 97% collection rate but that current experience shows a need to monitor and possibly revise that assumption in future budgets.
On the calendar change, district leaders said the revised schedule preserves the 169 student contact days needed to qualify for the state incentive established in Senate Bill 68 while converting two early-release days to full professional-development days in response to parent feedback.
All motions were approved by voice vote with no recorded roll-call tallies provided in the meeting transcript.
