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Oak Grove R-VI board approves preliminary 2025–26 budget; staff detailed $926,000 in staffing cuts
Summary
The board approved a preliminary 2025–26 budget that assumes a 5% assessed valuation increase and full state funding of the foundation formula; administrators said they cut $926,000 by eliminating 12 positions (8 certified, 4 non‑certified) after a failed levy and flagged possible later transportation cuts if state funding is reduced.
The Oak Grove R-VI Board approved a preliminary budget for fiscal 2025–26 that reflects conservative revenue assumptions and a series of staffing cuts administrators said were necessary after a failed tax-levy measure.
District staff told the board the budget assumes a 5% increase in assessed valuation and that the governor will sign the legislature’s proposal to fully fund the state foundation formula; staff cautioned those are assumptions that could change the district’s outlook. The draft budget also incorporated an estimated $151,000 impact from Senate Bill 190 (a senior property-tax freeze), per staff calculations.
On the expenditure side, administrators reported the budget includes step increases and a $900 addition to the certified base; it also sets a $40,000 base (the statutory state minimum was mentioned) and includes district contributions to career-ladder and the Aspire program. After the failed levy, staff said they identified $926,000 of staffing reductions — described in the presentation as 8 certified positions and 4 non‑certified positions. Staff listed the affected positions by area (examples included central-office technology, Pathways, science, reading, math, special education, elementary grade-level positions and gifted education); the cuts were described in the meeting as already included in the preliminary budget presented to the board.
Administrators emphasized that the cuts will raise class sizes in some grades (the presentation cited third grade moving from about 19 students per class to 22, and fifth grade from about 20 to 23) and reduce paraeducator support in some buildings. The budget as presented projected revenue of about $30.77 million and expenses of about $29.50 million, producing a projected surplus that would end the year with approximately 15% reserves — figures staff said are contingent on the state funding assumptions.
Staff also raised the possibility of further cuts if the governor does not sign the state funding package and noted a specific potential cut under review: eliminating district courtesy transportation to local day-care providers and changing the one‑mile transportation policy. Staff said eliminating the one‑mile radius for some grades or removing courtesy day-care routes could save the district roughly $123,000 annually; they asked the board to wait until August to make certain transportation decisions to allow time for the governor’s action and the Aug. 5 election results to play out.
A motion to approve the preliminary budget as presented was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. Staff said they will return with final numbers and any recommended amendments after state actions and final assessment data are available.
