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Caledonia board adopts 2024–25 budget amendments, approves 2025–26 budget and millage request
Summary
The Caledonia Community Schools board adopted final 2024–25 budget amendments, approved the proposed 2025–26 budget and backed a regional 0.9‑mill enhancement millage request; trustees also approved participation in the Michigan School Loan Revolving Fund.
The Caledonia Community Schools Board of Education on June 16 adopted final amendments to the 2024–25 budget and approved a proposed 2025–26 budget, even as administrators warned state-level funding decisions remain unsettled.
District finance staff told the board the district expects roughly $72.0 million in revenues and about $72.2 million in expenses for the current year, leaving a small shortfall and an estimated fund balance in the range of about $11.8 million (roughly the mid-teens percentage of expenditures). The board then approved the proposed 2025–26 budget showing roughly $71.5 million in revenue and $71.9 million in expenses, yielding an approximate $400,000 shortfall under current assumptions.
"Between the local revenue and state revenue, that's offsetting for our foundation allowance," a district finance presenter said during the public hearing, noting about $1.3 million of increased revenue compared with the December amendment was driven by supplemental special‑education millage payments through Kent ISD and increased Medicaid revenue.
Administrators also recommended reinstating a transfer to the public improvement fund to cover deferred maintenance projects that bonds do not cover. Staff described a transfer out of about $1.1 million (1.5% of the general fund) intended to replenish that fund after a pause the previous year.
Superintendent-level staff cautioned trustees that the state's budget process remains unsettled. "The school aid fund supporting K–12 is projected up about 2% but proposals differ widely on per‑pupil increases and categorical rollups," the superintendent's presenter said, summarizing differences among the governor's, senate and house proposals and the potential future impact on district finances.
On related fiscal items the board approved a resolution to participate in the Michigan School Loan Revolving Fund and unanimously adopted a resolution asking the Kent Intermediate School District to submit a regional enhancement property tax millage proposal of 0.9 mills for 10 years (2027–2036) to voters. District staff said the existing enhancement millage currently brings in about $1.6 million and that failure to renew would require service cuts or other reductions.
Votes at the meeting reflect board approval of the final 2024–25 amendment, the district's participation in the School Loan Revolving Fund, and adoption of the 2025–26 budget resolution.
