Teton County School District adopts FY26 budget, adds $100,000 for legal costs

The Teton County School District #1 Board of Trustees voted July 16 to adopt the districts fiscal year 2026 comprehensive budget and to add $100,000 to next years legal expense line.

Director Mayo, the district finance director, told trustees the district closed FY25 with an increase of about $930,000 to cash reserves and that the FY26 plan anticipates roughly $71.8 million in general fund revenue and about $70 million in expenditures. "We were able to increase our cash reserves by 930,000 this year," Director Mayo said in explaining why the board could allocate the extra legal funding now.

Trustees debated the measure before voting. Trustee Jared Scarlet moved the amendment to include the $100,000 for legal work and a colleague seconded the motion; the board approved the budget by voice vote. The mover said the addition would be covered from the approximately $933,000 in excess revenues shown in the budget documents.

The budget discussion also included staff warnings about federal grants that remain under review. Superintendent Chris Crisp and finance staff described several federal Title II, III and IV grant pots that were temporarily on hold; the district identified about $237,000 in flagged federal grants in the materials. "We are reallocating some existing curriculum funds so we can continue our programming," Superintendent Crisp said, adding staff are working to reduce program impacts if federal funds are delayed.

Trustees pressed staff on potential effects to student services, food programs and special education. Finance staff said special education is currently fully reimbursable through the state block grant and that USDA school-meal reimbursements have not yet been affected, while estimating about $500,000 in current federal reimbursements for the food program against roughly $2.2 million in total food-service expenditures.

The district also approved a FY25 budget amendment as part of the meetings actions. Trustees were told the amendment is an annual true-up required by state statute so no major department is over budget at year end.

What happens next: The approved FY26 budget and the budget amendment will be posted with district records; staff said they will review cash-reserve policy and fiscal goals at an August retreat and can return with more detail on legal spending if litigation or legislative changes require it.