Cave Creek Unified board adopts 2025–26 budget, approves facility alignment resolution and M&O authorization

The Cave Creek Unified School District governing board on Tuesday adopted the district budget for the 2025–26 school year, approved authorization to exceed certain maintenance and operation (M&O) budget subsections under Arizona Revised Statutes §15-905, and passed a resolution requesting approval from the Arizona Department of Education and the School Facilities Oversight Board to finalize campus alignments.

The board voted by voice on the budget after a presentation from Dr. Kletnick, who moved that the governing board adopt the 2025–26 district budget “as presented.” Several board members explicitly recorded their votes as aye during the voice tally, and the motion passed. The consent agenda was also approved earlier in the meeting by voice vote.

Why it matters: the budget sets the district’s spending plan for the coming school year and the SFOB resolution records how campus buildings will be counted in the state School Facilities system, which affects eligibility for facility funding. Board members asked about a reported federal withholding of about $6.2 billion and what that might mean for Title program funding; staff said the federal funds are currently in a temporary freeze and that the district is monitoring developments and a state CFO webinar for updates.

District staff told the board the district’s total Title funding figure would be approximately $405,100,000, and estimated a potential, rough impact of about $100,000 across Title II–IV if federal allocations remain frozen; staff emphasized the situation is fluid and the district may be able to absorb any short-term reduction. The board’s discussion noted the district receives a smaller share of Title I funding than some districts because Title I funds are partially shared with charters and private schools within the district.

On the facility item, staff explained the resolution to the Arizona Department of Education and the School Facilities Oversight Board (SFOB) formalizes how every building and campus in the district is listed in the SFOB system. Staff said the SFOB system records occupancy at the building level (not room-by-room), so a building with partial student use will be marked as occupied in the system; buildings not used for students (for example, administration-only buildings) may not be eligible for School Facilities coverage.

The board also approved a motion authorizing the district to exceed specified subsections of the 2025–26 M&O budget without exceeding the statutory budget limit in accordance with ARS 15-905. That motion was moved, seconded, and approved by voice vote.

Other business: President Grier introduced Merritt Jennings as the district’s new transportation director and summarized her background in school transportation and training; the superintendent reported on summer programs including day camps, enrichment classes (yoga, dance, STEM, robotics), middle-school transition offerings, and high-school credit recovery/acceleration opportunities. District staff announced key upcoming dates, including teacher report dates in late July and the first day of school on Aug. 4.

Votes at a glance: - Adopt 2025–26 district budget (agenda item 6.1): Motion to adopt “as presented.” Mover/second: not specified. Explicit recorded votes: Member Moore — aye; Brianna — aye; Jeff — aye. Outcome: approved (voice vote). - Authorization to exceed M&O subsections (agenda item 7.1): Motion to approve authorization in accordance with ARS 15-905. Mover/second: not specified. Explicit recorded vote: Member Moore — aye. Outcome: approved (voice vote). - Resolution requesting ADE and SFOB approval for campus alignments (agenda item 7.2): Motion to approve the resolution as presented. Mover/second: not specified. Explicit recorded vote: Member Moore — aye. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

Meeting context: the roll call stated all board members were present, with Members Moore and Fortney connected telephonically. Several items were approved by voice vote with few roll-call tallies recorded in the transcript. Staff repeatedly described the federal funding situation as uncertain and subject to change pending state and federal developments.

— Reporting by the meeting transcript of the Cave Creek Unified School District governing board