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Finance staff: Portland Public Schools on pace after first month; $100,000 grant for multilingual work
Summary
Finance staff reported on July FY26 results: revenues collected equal about 9% of budget after one month (an even pace is 8.33%), expenditures about 7% year‑to‑date, and a $100,000 Nellie Mae grant will fund design work on improving outcomes for historically underserved students.
Lisa Beck, finance staff for Portland Public Schools, presented the district’s first fiscal month report for FY26 and said the district had collected about 9% of budgeted revenues after one month — roughly in line with an even 12‑month pace of 8.33%.
Beck told the committee the general fund was slightly higher because some MaineCare reimbursements arrived in July for services provided in FY25; adult education tends to lag because state subsidies arrive mid‑year and food service revenues are low until school resumes. She said no grant revenue is recorded until the state approves reimbursements, which commonly takes longer over the summer.
“the district has collected 9 percent of its budgeted revenues for fiscal year f y 26,” Beck said. She added the district spent about 7% of its budget year‑to‑date, noting that personnel costs are lower in July while supplies are higher as schools stock up for the new year.
Beck highlighted a new $100,000 grant from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation to support design work to improve outcomes for historically underserved students; the multilingual team will lead the initial design. She said the Nellie Mae money is for research and design this year with any implementation request expected in a later budget cycle.
By fund Beck reported approximately $10.4 million spent in the general fund (about 7% of that fund), adult education spending of $302,000 (9%) and food service spending around $98,000 (2%). By category she said contracted services were roughly 6%, supplies 19% (front‑loaded for the school start), other costs 10% and debt service 6%. She noted roughly $111,000 in an other‑grant line for staff and student computers purchased through the Maine Learning Technology initiative, and that the district expects state reimbursement by September.
Board members asked clarifying questions about MaineCare timing and whether the Nellie Mae award is design funding; staff confirmed the reimbursements are a timing recognition and described the Nellie Mae grant as design work that could inform a FY27 budget request for implementation.
