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Burrillville School Committee approves FY 2026 budget, taps fund balance to close gap
Summary
The Burrillville School Committee approved the FY 2026 budget after administrators said the district will use roughly $120,000 of undesignated fund balance and had relied on about $500,000 from fund balance last year to balance accounts. The packet also cited an $88,000 rebate and CTE/preschool revenue.
The Burrillville School Committee on Aug. 12 approved the district's fiscal year 2026 budget after a presentation from district administrators detailing last year's funding choices and projected needs for the coming year.
District administrators told the committee they used about $500,000 from the fund balance to balance last year's budget, replenished some revenue with roughly $232,000 drawn from CTE and preschool revolving funds, and received an $88,000 rebate following the dissolution of the Northern Rhode Island Collaborative. "We used approximately $500,000 from our fund balance," the district administrator stated during the packet review. For FY 2026, the administration told the committee it anticipates using about $120,000 of undesignated fund balance, while other designated funds remain available for costs such as health insurance and out-of-district tuitions.
Committee members pressed for clarity on the undesignated balance and whether the district expects to exceed it during the coming year. One member asked whether the $118,000 undesignated amount would be at risk; administrators replied that it is early in the fiscal year and they hoped it would not be needed but that certain contractual items (including longevity and teacher contracts) could draw on reserves. The packet listing and the fund-balance status document were made available to committee members for review and will be posted on the district website.
Administrators also described local CTE enrollment growth: the district expects about 25 students in CTE programs this year, up from roughly 19 last year. Committee members said increasing CTE participation is a positive fiscal and programmatic sign.
A motion to approve the FY 2026 budget was made and seconded; the motion carried by voice vote. The committee directed administrators to continue monitoring designated and undesignated balances and report back as needed.
The committee's budget packet and the fund-balance status document will be uploaded to the district website for public review. The next regular committee meeting will include any updates on early-year expenditures and any necessary adjustments.
