Beaumont Unified projects $36.9 million general‑fund year‑end balance; restricted funds rise on ELO carryovers

Nathan Camara, Beaumont Unified School District director of fiscal services, presented the district’s 2025–26 second‑interim budget and multiyear projections to the board on March 3.

Camara said the district now projects a general‑fund ending balance of $36,900,000 as of June 30, 2026, and a total operating budget across all funds of $296,300,000 with an all‑funds projected year‑end balance of $114,500,000. "We are projecting to end the year with $36,900,000," Camara said.

Camara outlined changes from the first interim: total revenues rose about $1,400,000, led by roughly $725,000 in additional federal dollars, including an approximately $100,000 increase in Title IV allocations. State increases were driven primarily by preschool/early‑intervention (special education) grant adjustments. On expenditures, Camara cited modest increases for substitutes, extra‑duty pay, fixed costs and health and welfare pools.

The director said restricted balances grew from about $14,700,000 at first interim to $18,300,000 at second interim. He attributed the bulk of that growth to Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) funds originally budgeted for site construction that will not be completed before the fiscal year ends. "What we've done is we've reduced the budget for the construction costs and increased what we will carry over to next year," Camara said, noting the district reduced this year’s portable‑building construction budget from $4,000,000 to $1,000,000 to reflect work that will carry into the next fiscal year.

Camara presented a multiyear projection that shows an intentional deficit in 2026–27 followed by a return to surplus in 2027–28, a pattern he said is driven in part by how ELO construction is phased. He noted a projected 3.06 percent COLA estimate from School Services of California for 2027–28 but said the district is not including that COLA in its local projection for that year; the governor’s proposal reduces the previously assumed COLA for 2026–27 from about 3.02 percent to 2.41 percent.

A trustee asked what accounted for an approximately $14 million change between the first and second interim. Camara reiterated that the primary driver is restricted ELO construction carryover and related reallocation of construction dollars into next year’s budget. He also pointed to federal and state program adjustments and the district’s practice of assigning specific restricted grants to carry forward if projects are not complete.

Camara concluded the presentation and opened the floor for questions; the transcript does not record a formal certification vote on the second‑interim report during the excerpt provided.

What happens next: district staff presented the second‑interim projection to the board and answered trustees’ questions; the meeting proceeded to scheduled action items.