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Madison schools project modest enrollment growth but insurance increases cloud next year’s budget
Summary
Superintendent reported demographic projections showing a steady, modest increase over five years (to roughly 2,757 students), a pre‑K move to Brown School and pressure from rising insurance costs; the board approved adding a $382,727 reserve transfer to the CIP for the Daniel Hand baseball field.
The Madison Public Schools superintendent presented a multi‑year enrollment review prepared with demographer Mike Zuba that projects a modest rebound in district enrollment and flagged insurance‑renewal increases that could affect the FY26–27 budget.
Administration said birth cohorts and housing turnover continue to drive fluctuations. The district’s demographics team provided high/medium/low projections; the administration said the medium projection shows growth toward roughly 2,757 students in five years and that high‑school and middle‑school enrollment are expected to rise even as pre‑K remains steady. The superintendent noted the state’s earlier change to a September 1 kindergarten cutoff was already factored into the projections and the planned move of pre‑K to Brown School was modeled into Neck River enrollment increases.
"As Mike likes to point out... a 1.1% variance is pretty good," the administration said when describing the demographer’s accuracy and the range of projections.
The finance committee reported closing FY24–25 with a $382,727 gap (about half‑a‑percent of the budget). Committee members said insurance premium increases (insurer up 8.4%, claims up about 22%) are a major pressure point. The administration said it is exploring mitigation options, including limited use of reserves for one‑time expenditures and further review before presenting the administration’s proposed budget book in January.
In a procedural action, the board approved moving $382,727 from the district’s nonlapsing education reserve to the capital improvement plan (CIP) for the Daniel Hand High School baseball field project. The motion to add the item to the agenda and the motion approving the transfer each passed unanimously.
Board members also approved the Daniel Hand High School 2026–27 Program of Studies. Trustees were reminded that the administration’s budget will be provided in January, with the board expected to vote on a budget later that month.
