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Jefferson board hears budget hearing, approves preliminary 2024–25 budget
Summary
School finance staff told the board the district faces a smaller-than-expected deficit and a healthy reserve as federal ESSER funds wind down; the board approved a preliminary 2024–25 budget and set October as the final adoption milestone after DPI and valuation updates.
The Jefferson School District Board of Education held a public budget hearing Aug. 26 and approved a preliminary 2024–25 budget after a presentation by district finance staff.
During the hearing, district finance presenter Mr. Bant said auditors’ fieldwork showed a smaller-than-projected operating deficit in the ballpark of $180,000 and a fund balance around $5.7 million. He explained that the district is transitioning off federal ESSER pandemic dollars and must plan to fill that gap as those funds sunset.
Bant walked through revenue-limit mechanics, noting three ways the state counts students (headcount, membership, full-time-equivalent) and giving preliminary projections: an estimated headcount near 1,635 pupils and a net open-enrollment effect that is modestly positive. He said a preliminary Department of Revenue equalized valuation estimate of about an 8.5% increase produced a tentative district mill rate near $8.80, a reduction of roughly 24 cents from last year, but stressed these figures remain preliminary until official October certifications.
The presentation also covered the district’s indebtedness (combined fund 38/39 debt of about $51.34 million) and set out referendum-related debt-service set-asides. Mr. Bant described the district’s plan to transfer funds to cover special-education costs and highlighted a projected decrease in general-fund revenues of roughly $144,000 tied to enrollment and aid changes.
Board members pressed for detail on line-item classifications, open-enrollment net in/out flows and special-education enrollment counts; Bant gave specific projections, including a projected net positive open-enrollment impact of about $715,000 in the preliminary figures.
After discussion, a motion to approve the preliminary 2024–25 budget as presented passed on a voice vote. The board will return in October with options for final adoption after the Sept. 20 third-Friday pupil count, the Oct. 1 final equalized valuation certification and DPI finalizations on Oct. 15.
The hearing formally closed and the board reconvened into its regular meeting.
