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Bonita Unified board adopts unaudited actuals showing $42 million ending fund balance
Summary
The Bonita Unified Board approved the district's unaudited actuals for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, with total revenues of about $154 million, expenditures near $165 million and a combined ending fund balance of roughly $42 million. Trustees pressed staff on reserves, one-time funds and oversight of ASB and cafeteria funds.
The Bonita Unified School District Board of Education on Wednesday approved the district's unaudited actuals for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, after a presentation by business-services staff.
Sonia, the district's business-services presenter, told the board the district reported approximately $154,000,000 in total revenue and about $165,000,000 in total expenditures for 2024-25, producing a combined fund balance of roughly $42,000,000. Of that total, Sonia said the unrestricted ending fund balance is about $19,000,000 and the restricted portion is about $22,000,000, with roughly $6,000,000 of the restricted funds composed of one-time allocations originally received in prior years.
The presentation said the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) based on enrollment and attendance comprises about 76% of general-fund revenue. Salaries and benefits accounted for about 80% of total expenditures. Sonia reported the state-required restricted routine maintenance contribution (3% of actual expenditures) amounted to about $4,800,000 this year. She also described activity in several other funds: ASB funds (student activity) with reported expenditures of about $2,100,000; Extended Learning Opportunities Program support of about $3,100,000; cafeteria operations that continue to serve free breakfast and lunch; capital-facilities revenue from developer fees used for site projects; and a self-insurance fund that now receives only interest following a 2022 transfer of tail claims.
Board members asked follow-up questions about the district's ongoing deficit spending and reserve targets. Chair (the board's presiding officer) noted the district has been running a deficit and said trustees want to maintain a 7% board target for reserves even though the state requires a 3% minimum. Sonia said the current percentage equates to about 11.5% of general-fund expenditures and described internal safeguards to monitor enrollment and budget variances.
After discussion, a trustee moved and the board unanimously approved the unaudited actuals report and directed staff to submit the required documents to the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) for review. Sonia said auditors from an external CPA firm recently completed fieldwork and the district expects to present the audited report later in the fall or winter.
The board did not adopt any budget changes at the meeting; trustees and staff said they will continue monitoring enrollment and prepare the first interim report if variances appear.
