Third‑calculation funding dip, federal grant cuts project roughly $7.2 million shortfall; district outlines freezes and savings
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Summary
After the state’s third funding calculation, St. Lucie staff told the board the district faces a roughly $7.26 million reduction in state funding this year plus about $7.2 million in federal grant reductions; officials outlined hiring freezes, reallocation, contract reviews and revenue pilots to close the gap while prioritizing safety and avoiding layoffs.
St. Lucie Public Schools officials told the board on Tuesday that the state Department of Education’s third‑calculation funding update — released the day before the workshop — reduced the district’s weighted full‑time‑equivalent (FTE) forecast and will lower this year’s state funding by about $7.26 million. At the same time, federal grant reductions (Title I, Title II and IDEA among them) account for roughly another $7.2 million, compounding pressure on the current operating budget.
Budget staff said they intentionally selected conservative enrollment models but the third calculation landed below the chosen forecast. "That then equates to, for Saint Lucie public schools, a reduction of $7,263,000 in our revenue for this school year," the presenter said, adding that charter declines and family‑empowerment scholarship growth were contributors.
Officials laid out immediate and near‑term strategies to offset the shortfall: freeze hiring for vacant nonclassroom positions, reassign existing overallocated positions to schools with vacancies, reduce department discretionary budgets by 10%, eliminate extended minutes at four formerly turnaround schools (estimated $640,000), pursue revenue pilots (additional VPK units, Step Up a la carte courses for homeschool families, facility leases), renegotiate contracts and issue new RFPs for transportation and custodial services, and explore moving to a self‑insured health trust.
The presenter also listed federal funding declines: Title I down by roughly $2.9 million, Title II by about $1.175 million, and IDEA by roughly $1.8 million, with other federal reductions totaling the remaining amount. Those reductions were described as particularly challenging because some cuts were announced after the school year started and after staff had filled positions and committed expenditures.
District leaders emphasized a set of nonnegotiables: preserve safety and regulatory compliance, adhere to collective‑bargaining agreements, and pursue measures designed to avoid layoffs when possible by managing attrition and reassignments. Staff said they will work with union partners, principals and the CFO to model specific scenarios and return to the board with options in the coming months.
Board members asked about salary impacts and the pace of cuts; staff said the goal is to minimize classroom impact and to make methodical changes, not abrupt moves that would harm instruction. The district plans monthly updates and a formal presentation on options at future workshops as the FY26–27 budget process progresses.
The workshop closed with the superintendent saying staff will present recommended models for board decisions and continue to prioritize classroom instruction.