District lobbyist warns of state budget shortfall, pauses in school-finance rollout likely; SB4 expands red-flag petitioners

Contract lobbyist Amy Atwood briefed the Board of Education on the legislative session and the implications for K–12 funding. Atwood said the state is contending with an estimated $850 million budget shortfall largely attributable to Medicaid spending, and that legislators are considering steps that would pause or modify the rollout of the new school finance formula. "What we think will happen for next year... is that there will be a pause in the rollout of the new finance formula," Atwood said, adding that pausing the rollout could produce approximately $250 million in state savings and make flat funding the likeliest outcome for the next budget year.

Atwood also called the current education bill count lower than in prior sessions, reflecting the broader budget constraints, but she flagged specific bills the district is tracking. The board discussed Senate Bill 4, which Atwood described as expanding the list of petitioners eligible to seek protection orders (red-flag or extreme-risk protection orders) to include teachers and school districts. She said that SB4 is moving quickly through the process and was already on the House second reading at the time of the meeting.

Board members and administration discussed planning for a likely flat budget year, noting that district budgeting assumptions should reflect limited state increases. Atwood advised the board that a final picture of the state budget would firm in early April when the legislature finalizes the spending plan, and she offered to continue monitoring bills and advising administration and board staff.