Banning Unified holds public hearing on 2025–26 preliminary LCAP and budget; staff outline priorities and small projected deficits

Banning Unified School District held a public hearing June 12 on the district’s preliminary 2025–26 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) and budget, with staff laying out student needs, program priorities and multiyear fiscal projections.

Dr. Kazi Bush, presenting the LCAP, said the district had 4,237 students as of census day, an unduplicated pupil percentage of 92.3% (roughly 3,800 students), and that 87.2% of students qualified for free or reduced-price meals. He said about 17% of students have Individualized Education Programs and roughly 7% of students experience homelessness; student turnover was cited near 14.8%.

“These data give a context for the work we’re setting out to do,” Dr. Kazi Bush said, identifying three districtwide goals: academic achievement, a safe and healthy environment, and increased parent and community involvement. He and other presenters emphasized strengthening conceptual and procedural fluency in math, improving writing instruction in English language arts, and adding supports for long‑term English learners and students with disabilities. The district plans to use professional development, interim assessment blocks, and partnerships such as the Irvine Math Project to support those efforts.

On the fiscal side, staff described the linkage between LCFF funding and LCAP priorities. The presentation listed base LCFF funding at about $45.2 million and identified roughly $19 million in supplemental/concentration and grant funding that would be tied to LCAP initiatives. Fiscal staff said estimated actual expenditures for 2024–25 are near $95 million and that preliminary budget figures remove one‑time carryover, producing lower ongoing expenditures for 2025–26.

Mister Ramos and fiscal staff reviewed enrollment projections and a three‑year multiyear projection. Ramos said enrollment is projected to decline slightly (about 30 students from 2025–26 to 2026–27 and another ~12 students the following year). Officials noted a reserve-for-economic-uncertainties policy target of 4.5% and reported reserve projections of roughly 6.4% for 2025–26 and higher in later years when assignments are included. Under the multiyear projection assumptions presented, staff reported a small projected deficit of about $40,000 in 2025–26 that increases in later years (projections cited a possible $1.2 million shortfall in 2026–27 under certain ongoing-cost scenarios, including negotiations).

Trustees asked detailed implementation questions. One trustee asked whether $2 million shown for technology infrastructure could be charged to Measure O bond funds; staff said some capital components could be moved to the bond if the expenditures are allowable on the project list. Trustees asked about an increased textbook-adoption estimate (possible range $2–3 million) and about the scope of proposed interventions; staff described plans for teacher training, alignment of scope-and-sequence documents, and piloting updated math materials when the state publishes its recommended list.

The hearing closed at 8:05 p.m. Staff said revisions to the LCAP and budget would continue and that the proposed budget and LCAP are scheduled to be recommended for adoption at the district’s June 30 meeting.

Next steps: the board will consider the proposed budget and LCAP for adoption on June 30; county review and the state’s final May‑Revise/ enacted budget could affect final figures.