Sunnyside Unified board approves FY24–25 budget revision, authorizes limited subsection overspend

The Sunnyside Unified School District governing board on Tuesday approved the district’s Fiscal Year 2024–25 expenditure budget revision No. 2 and granted authorization to exceed subsections of the maintenance and operations (M&O) expenditure budget if unanticipated costs arise.

Carla Walters, who presented the revision during a public hearing, told the board the revision reflects fund‑by‑fund adjustments shaped by the district’s average daily membership (ADM), one‑time state allocations tied to free‑and‑reduced‑price‑lunch (FRPL) counts and federal carryover grants. Walters said the revision includes increases across several federal and state grant lines, including Title I, Title II and career and technical education funds.

Why it matters: The revision realigns the district’s legal spending plan to recent enrollment and grant developments and gives staff limited flexibility within subsections of the M&O budget to address unexpected expenditures without exceeding the district’s total budget authority.

Key facts: Walters summarized enrollment trends, noting a longer‑term decline concentrated at the lower grade levels and that ADM drives certain state funding streams. She reported program‑level changes that produced net increases for the revision; during presentation slides she summarized aggregate increases in the revision, and later summarized the district’s net change to the budget prior to the board vote.

Board action and votes: A motion to approve the FY24–25 expenditure budget revision No. 2 and to authorize exceeding subsections of the M&O expenditures budget was moved, seconded and approved by roll‑call vote with Mister Bustamante, Mister Jaramillo, Mister Rodriguez and Missus Quintero recorded as voting "Aye." The board’s approval followed a public hearing in which no members of the public spoke.

Budget figures and clarifications: During the meeting, presenters used slightly different rounded totals when summarizing the revision. Carla Walters reported the district’s net revision increase as approximately $7.0 million in one summary and a slide in an earlier part of the presentation showed a $7.5 million figure; Walters explained the gap arises from different slide summaries and timing of carryover allocations. The presentation also detailed specific grant increases (for example, an increase in Title I funding attributed primarily to carryover and an additional allocation).

What the authorization means: The board authorized staff to overspend within subsections of the M&O category (for instance, among program subsections such as regular education, special education or transportation) if unanticipated expenses occur, but the board did not authorize exceeding the legal total budget authority for the district. Presenters emphasized the request is a procedural safeguard to allow timely payment of obligations during current‑year funding fluctuations.

Next steps: The revision will be incorporated into the district’s accounting records for FY24–25 and staff will continue monitoring ADM and state allocations; the annual financial report will follow in October as part of the year‑end closeout process.

Votes at a glance: The meeting also recorded several other formal votes, including adoption of a consent agenda (with one item pulled for typographical correction and to be tabled), approval to move the May 27 meeting from a virtual morning session to an in‑person evening meeting, entry to an executive session under state personnel statute, and the appointment of a school principal (see itemized list below).