Elmbrook board adopts levy-stabilization move and unanimously approves adjusted 2025-26 budget

The Elmbrook School District Board of Education on Oct. 23 approved a levy-stabilization strategy intended to smooth the district's mill rate and unanimously adopted the district's adjusted 2025-26 budget (the F39 scenario).

Business department staff said state aid is projected to decline by about $3 million in 2026-27 under the biennial state budget, and described a commonly used strategy of shifting levy into debt service (Fund 39) to reduce year-to-year fluctuation. Administration recommended levying an additional $2 million into Fund 39 for 2025-26 and reducing that levy by $2 million in 2026-27 to lessen mill-rate swings and the appearance of volatility in future years.

Mitzi, a member of the district's business office, reviewed the adjusted budget process and key changes from the preliminary budget. She reported Fund 10 revenues of $117,045,547, an increase of about $151,000 from the preliminary budget, primarily driven by higher property-tax and grant revenues offset by decreases in equalization aid, open-enrollment revenue and projected interest income. She said the adjusted general-fund budget remained balanced.

Other budget changes cited by staff include a net increase in special-education costs in Fund 27 of about $476,000 that is offset by additional state and federal special-education grant funding; no change to the Long-Term Capital Improvement Fund (Fund 46) transfer of $2,000,000; and a planned Fund 50 deficit of $345,236 for additional capital equipment replacement. Staff noted increases in grant-funded expenditures, cybersecurity and technology costs, open-enrollment expense and voucher-program costs.

Board members said the finance and operations committee had reviewed the materials in detail. One board member said the committee discussion convinced them the levy-stabilization approach "made a lot of sense" and would reduce taxpayer cost volatility. The board approved the adjusted 2025-26 budget F39 scenario on a unanimous voice vote.

Ending: The board approved the levy-stabilization strategy and the adjusted 2025-26 budget and moved on to facility-planning items later in the meeting.