MCCSC previews 2026 budget, adopts operations fund reduction amid $6.2M net decrease

Monroe County Community School Corporation staff presented the district’s proposed 2026 budget, described the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) review process and said the administration will return in October to adopt the budget after the DLGF’s 1782 review in December.

Budget presenter Mister Erwin told the board the submitted 2026 budget is roughly $6.2 million lower than the 2025 submission, with the operations fund showing the largest reduction. He said the budget process is driven by past actuals, enrollment and revenue trends, and that staff built flexibility into the plan to avoid frequent board amendments for routine changes. Erwin noted that placeholders for bond-related debt service are high and expected to come in lower when final bond terms are set.

During public comment, parent Michael Catterlin urged the board to prioritize classroom resources and asked what cuts are planned at the district-administration level, saying the district added about 15 new administrators over five years and that ‘‘last year, admin payroll was over $5,000,000.’’ The board and staff acknowledged the comment and said budget work is ongoing; no detailed line-item reply was provided during the meeting.

The board adopted Resolution 2025-19, a budget-reduction resolution for the operations fund, to reconcile the state system's assumption that all appropriated dollars will be spent with actual district needs. Erwin said the reduction was preworked with the district’s DLGF representative and is a standard step in the district’s budget forms.

Adoption of the final 2026 budget is scheduled for the board’s October meeting, after DLGF staff work on the district’s submission. Staff will return with final numbers and any required adjustments once the DLGF and the district complete the 1782 notice and review.