Huron School District details roughly $598,000 in cuts to balance 2025–26 general fund

Huron — Administrators presented the Huron Board of Education with a plan to reduce about $598,000 from the district’s 2025–26 general fund budget, saying the package avoids staff layoffs this year by shifting some positions to grant funding and cutting travel, supplies and other discretionary spending.

“The administrative team has worked extremely hard to find cuts to this year's budget, ensuring that no employees have lost their jobs,” Superintendent Dr. Steinhoff said as he opened the budget update.

The cuts stem from an administrative goal Mr. Christopherson described as $592,000 — roughly 3% of the district’s controllable general fund — and officials said they reviewed each budget category to identify reductions that could be made without breaking teacher contracts or benefit obligations. “Our goal is $592,000 to reduce from this year's general fund budget which works out to be about 3% of our general fund budget,” Mr. Christopherson said.

Key examples listed by administrators include:

- Buchanan Elementary: about $40,500 in reductions, including moving half of a paraeducator to Title I grant funding, smaller cuts to supplies and technology, and shifting some lunchroom supervision costs to the school nutrition budget.

- Madison Elementary: about $126,500 in reductions, including not filling a third-grade opening (roughly $80,000), moving a paraeducator to Title I funding ($38,000) and reducing library staffing by 0.5 FTE.

- Middle School: nearly $80,000 saved by not filling a science teacher position and reductions to an English learner paraprofessional and library paraprofessional time.

- High School: library staffing shared with the middle school, elimination of staff travel and other service reductions; administrators said credit-recovery and the homebound program were not cut.

- Districtwide/librarian impacts: library staffing reductions across Madison, middle and high school totaled about $57,000, and technology and curriculum offices saw modest travel and supply reductions.

- Buildings & grounds and nutrition fund shifts: administrators said they will scrutinize repair bills and seek to move eligible expenses to capital outlay. The school nutrition fund was asked to pick up trash-removal costs at the middle school kitchen (reported as $26,000).

Administrators emphasized some positions and services were not cut, saying programs such as credit recovery and the home instruction program would remain intact for 2025–26. Mr. Christopherson said the district expects Title I funds to cover the moved paraeducator positions for this year but warned Title I allocations are uncertain year to year.

Board members thanked the administrative team for the work and raised objections to specific reductions. Board Member Ray said he opposed cuts to music supplies and programming, arguing music “represents 45% of proposed reductions” while making up a small share of listed activities. Other board members urged the district to seek outside funding sources — including the newly formed school foundation, community foundations and local partners — to preserve activities and employee recognition events.

Administrators said the $598,000 figure represents reductions they intend to implement for the 2025–26 school year and that they will return in December to begin work on the 2026–27 budget, where they anticipate seeking an additional minimum reduction of roughly $600,000.

The board did not take a formal vote specifically to approve the list of reductions at this meeting; administrators presented the proposed package for the board’s consideration and discussion. The administration said they will continue work on permanent adjustments to the 2026–27 budget in upcoming meetings.

Clarifying details from the presentation:

- Administrative reduction target for 2025–26: $592,000 (presented) and $598,000 in identified reductions (reported total). Source: Mr. Christopherson.

- Library staffing reductions across Madison, middle and high schools: ~ $57,000 (Mr. Christopherson).

- Trash removal at middle school kitchen requested to be paid by school nutrition fund: $26,000 (Mr. Christopherson).

- Examples of moved positions to Title I: half a para at Buchanan (~$19,000) and one full para moved at Madison (~$38,000); administrators said Title I had additional capacity this year (Dr. Steinhoff and Mr. Christopherson).

What’s next: Administrators said they will refine and implement the 2025–26 reductions and begin work in December on the 2026–27 budget, where they expect to seek additional reductions; board members asked staff to continue seeking external funding to reduce impacts on students and programs.