Lebanon Community School District budget committee reviews $94.7 million proposal; vice chair appointed

Lebanon Community School District budget committee members met to hear the district's proposed 2025–26 budget and approved a vice‑chair appointment.

Jen Meckley presented the budget message, saying the proposed budget totals $94,700,000 and reflects the district’s focus on instructional programs and student safety. "The $94,700,000 budget reflects our ongoing commitment to supporting student achievement and well‑being even in the face of tightening financial conditions," Meckley said.

The nut graph: The proposal projects enrollment of 3,898 students (a decline of 18 students), anticipates an ending fund balance of $8.5 million for the current year but shows a proposed 2025–26 ending balance of $4.9 million, and notes declines or flat funding in several grants that could require shifting positions into the general fund.

Key figures and program impacts Meckley reported a projected enrollment of 3,898 for 2025–26 and said special education is expected to remain about 17.3% of total enrollment. State and local funding for the district is estimated at $53,000,254 based on the state school fund. Meckley highlighted recent graduation rates — including a 91.1% rate for the class of 2024 — as district achievements worth noting.

Grant changes were emphasized as a fiscal pressure. Meckley listed the Student Success Act allocation at $4,036,986 (including $286,281 for Sandridge), a High School Success grant of $1,090,190, and an Early Literacy grant of $272,007. She said federal grant allocations are not yet finalized and the district anticipates possible reductions of up to 25% in programs such as Title I–IV and IDEA, which could limit the ability to sustain or expand programming.

Staffing, preschool and student supports Meckley and Steven described how the district is leveraging other funds to support students. The budget includes about $366,462 in MAC‑related student support staffing and lists specific FTEs (for example, a 1.0 LPN and a 0.91 PCA). The district added a preschool promise grant anticipated to bring $225,000 to expand early learning; some pre‑K programming costs will be split across partner funding (Boys & Girls Club) and grant funds rather than the general fund.

Fund balance and fiscal assumptions Steven cited GFOA guidance and reported a current projected ending fund balance of $8.5 million (14.1% of the adopted $60.25 million general fund) and said the proposed 2025–26 budget shows an ending balance of $4.9 million (about 7.7%) when contingency and unappropriated funds are included. He noted the district budgets benefit lines based on expected utilization rather than 100% uptake, leaving limited cushion in some accounts.

Personnel costs and negotiations Regarding salary assumptions, Steven said the proposed budget includes the district's offer in ongoing negotiations with licensed staff: a 5% cost‑of‑living adjustment and a $50 monthly increase in the insurance cap. Several FTE shifts (including adding 9 classified FTE to the general fund) were explained as responses to reduced or level grant funding (for example, SIA and IDEA adjustments).

Legislative issues that could affect funding Steven referenced pending Oregon bills that could affect special education funding: House Bill 2953 (to raise the funded share of students from 11% to 15%) and House Bill 2448 (to fully fund the high‑cost disability account). He cautioned that the district does not yet know final state numbers until official estimates are released.

Procedural actions and next steps At the start of the meeting the committee held procedural votes: the presiding officer declared the selection of the committee chair unanimous after a voice vote, and the committee appointed Jeff King as vice chair following a nomination and second. Steven said the proposed budget book will be posted online and a physical copy will be available at the district finance office; he listed upcoming dates including a May 15 meeting and the budget hearing and board meeting on June 12 (the budget hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m.).

Why it matters The budget outlines how the district plans to balance instructional priorities, staffing and safety amid tighter revenues and grant uncertainty. Key near‑term impacts include possible reductions in program growth if federal or state grant support falls short and the need to monitor enrollment and negotiatons that affect personnel costs.

The meeting concluded with no formal amendments to the proposed budget; the committee will reconvene on the dates noted for further review and the public budget hearing on June 12.