Westwood Heights Board adopts final 2024-25 budget, approves initial 2025-26 budget and borrowing resolution; several personnel and routine items pass

The Westwood Heights Schools Board of Education approved the district's final 2024-25 budget, certified the 2024-25 tax rate, adopted an initial 2025-26 budget and authorized a borrowing resolution at its meeting. Board members also approved multiple personnel actions, contract renewals and routine items.

Board Member Johnson moved adoption of the final 2024-25 budget and the motion was supported by Board Member Corbin. The vote to adopt the final 2024-25 budget was 5-0 in favor. The board subsequently adopted the final 2024-25 tax rate certification (5-0) and approved the initial 2025-26 budget (5-0).

District presenters told the board the district ended the year with final revenues of about $21.6 million compared with budgeted revenues near $21.7 million, a revenue decrease of roughly $113,000 driven largely by unspent grants being carried forward. The district is a declining-enrollment district and reported a blended student count just under 1,200 for the current year.

The administration reported an estimated 2023-24 year-end general fund balance of about $5.2 million (approximately 23.24% of expenditures), down slightly from the prior year. For 2025-26, the board was presented with a preliminary budget that assumes a number of state funding uncertainties and forecasts a projected reduction in the fund balance to about $2.2 million (about 10.19% of expenditures) absent additional state aid. District staff said the projected decline in fund balance stems primarily from…