Preliminary 2026–27 budget preview: district cites rising health insurance and salaries, outlines priorities
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Summary
Finance staff presented priorities for the 2026–27 preliminary budget — academic equity, program sustainability and facilities projects — and noted inflationary pressures on health insurance and salary trends, along with projected tax cap CPI of 2% and percentage increases for athletics (5.46%) and transportation (3.63%).
District finance staff on Tuesday outlined priorities and early figures for the 2026–27 preliminary budget, flagging rising health insurance and salary costs and describing capital and program priorities.
Missus McAllister, who led the presentation, said district priorities this year include academic equity and opportunities for all students, sustainable programming and facilities enhancements tied to the district's next-generation projects. She said the district is watching inflation and pension contribution changes and currently projects a 2% CPI tax-cap allowance.
On revenue and expenditures, McAllister said health insurance costs (Highmark and CDPHP plans) are expected to rise and that salary trends are projected at roughly 3–5 percent; collective bargaining agreements are current and will be considered as part of the budget process. She described athletics requests, including adding a varsity field-hockey level and modest coaching and equipment increases that together produced an athletics increase of 5.46 percent in the preliminary numbers, and transportation items that resulted in a 3.63 percent transportation increase.
The presentation included a stated balanced budget figure for 2025–26 of $139,000,555,100 as presented in the materials. The district did not expand on that printed figure during the meeting.
McAllister also discussed capital items and projected aid: an estimated building aid rate referenced for capital projects and bus replacement plans that follow an eight-year cycle; the district said some bus purchases will remain gasoline/diesel until a 2027 mandate and that one electric school bus will arrive in 2026 via grant funding.
Board members were reminded of upcoming budget workshops (next budget meeting Feb. 3 and a workshop before the first draft) and encouraged to share information publicly. The district said additional budget detail will be provided in subsequent meetings ahead of the May budget vote.
What happens next: Budget workshops are scheduled for Feb. 3 and Feb. 24; the board will receive more detailed line-item requests and a first draft before the public presentation and vote in May.
