Shorewood board hears FY26 budget assumptions showing shrinking enrollment and multi‑million dollar gap
Loading...
Summary
Administrators told the Shorewood School Board on March 11 that projected enrollment declines and expense pressures could create a multimillion‑dollar shortfall by 2029, prompting discussion of consolidation, open enrollment and a possible future operating referendum.
Heather, the district’s finance lead, told the board that state and local revenue now supply roughly 90% of Shorewood’s operating funds and that the district is projecting a 2.5% decline in enrollment next year, with current total enrollment “about 1,916.” She said the board should assume only the most certain elements of the governor’s proposal for now and not count on larger increases in per‑pupil aid or special education funding until the state budget is final.
The presentation laid out a five‑year forecast that assumes modest salary increases and conservative health‑insurance projections; under those assumptions Heather said the district could face a net shortfall of about $6.4 million by 2029. She described the figures as preliminary and urged caution: “we're going to assume that the $325 per year that was already put in place, isn't removed,” and that other proposed increases are uncertain.
Superintendent Dr. Burgos framed the choices for the board as tradeoffs between preserving program offerings and long‑term fiscal health. Board members asked for more granular scenarios and a clearer public message about any future operating referendum. Several members pressed whether consolidation or grade‑span reconfiguration could reduce costs; others said maximizing open enrollment should be a first option to bring more students into the district. Student representatives told the board they would support options that protect arts, music and other signature programs.
Administrators committed to an enrollment study and to returning with detailed scenarios and educational outcomes analyses this spring. The board and staff noted statutory timing constraints for approving budgets (October) and that special education funding changes can lag and be based on prior‑year spending.
Next steps: the administration will begin an outside enrollment study next month, refine budget projections and return to the board with scenario analyses and recommended community messaging to inform any decision about a referendum or structural changes.
