Florence Unified board approves revised FY26 expenditure budget after public hearing
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Summary
After a public hearing with multiple speakers urging transparency, the Florence Unified School District governing board moved to approve a revised fiscal‑year 2026 expenditure budget and set up community steering committees to guide further decisions on cuts and alternatives.
The Florence Unified School District governing board moved to approve a revised fiscal‑year 2026 expenditure budget at its Dec. 9, 2025 meeting after opening and closing a public hearing on the matter.
Board members opened a public meeting on the FY26 revised expenditure budget and called for public comments; none were offered during the formal hearing. The board then took a motion to approve the revised FY26 expenditure budget. A motion and second were recorded and members indicated assent in the meeting transcript; the assembly then proceeded with new business.
The vote followed a round of public comment earlier in the meeting in which residents pressed the board for transparency and alternatives to staff cuts. Former employee and parent Corey Kathmer asked the board for a third‑party financial review and questioned how the district previously reported cutting about $4.5 million, saying, “How did we do it last year without all of these decisions that we're facing now to cut?” Janine Candelaria, a former board member and administrator, praised the board’s decision to postpone an earlier vote and asked administrators to provide a full analysis of options — including a study of a four‑day school week — before finalizing further cuts. “Your decision to remove the vote tonight regarding proposed budget cuts … was the right decision,” she said.
Board members repeatedly emphasized that community input will shape the next steps. A board member pledged that public input would be incorporated into the steering committee process, and Superintendent Chris Knudson and board members said they will present a layperson‑friendly budget spreadsheet and outreach plan at upcoming meetings to help residents understand budget codes and tradeoffs.
The board scheduled follow‑up community engagement and subcommittee work on budget priorities, facilities and potential schedule models. The next regular board meeting is listed for Jan. 13, 2026 at the district administration building.