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Jefferson County Board holds first hearing on proposed $2026 budget; general fund projected at $174.9 million
Summary
CSFO Laura Nance presented the proposed FY2026 budget, reporting a projected ending general fund balance of $174,885,410 (about 5.3 months reserve), RAISE Act allocations of $8,781,022 and a net RAISE gain of $5,581,122; a second public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 9, 2025.
The Jefferson County Board of Education received its first public presentation of the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget on Aug. 28, 2025, with Chief School Financial Officer Laura Nance outlining fund balances, revenue shifts tied to the new RAISE Act and next steps in the budget process. Nance said the proposed budget covers Oct. 1, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2026 and the packet is available online for public review.
Nance reported a projected ending general fund balance of $174,885,410 — roughly 5.30 months of reserve — with ending special revenue funds of $28,615,185, debt service at $6,962,991, capital projects at $45,354,952 and fiduciary trust funds of $1,632,003. She presented the budget slides and invited written questions and public comment ahead of the second public hearing on Sept. 9, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.
Nance explained how the state’s RAISE Act allocations will be distributed in FY2026, saying total RAISE Act funding of $8,781,022 is slated for students in poverty, special education, English Learners and gifted programs. She said reductions in other allocations (At-Risk, High Hopes, ELL and Gifted) reduce those lines by $3,199,900, producing a net RAISE Act gain of $5,581,122 for the district.
On fiscal impacts tied to new state law, Nance told the board that the recently enacted Parental Leave Act will be reimbursed by the State Department, but because FY2026 is the law’s first year she was not certain of the practical financial impact for the district in the coming year.
Nance also reviewed supplemental appropriations included in the proposal: College and Career Readiness, textbooks, summer math camps, struggling readers support, school breakfast expansion and school safety funding. The board did not take action to adopt the budget at the hearing; Nance said the board will hold a second hearing on Sept. 9 before any formal adoption vote.
The board meeting record shows the presentation was informational and open for public review; board members asked no formal questions during the presentation that changed the proposal. The board will consider the budget following the second hearing and required public comment period.
