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District official flags special-education reimbursement shortfall amid state surplus
Summary
A district staff member told the board the state reports a multibillion-dollar surplus but the district is receiving lower special-education reimbursement than expected — roughly 37% versus an anticipated 42% — creating about a $100,000 gap in this year’s budget.
At the board’s informational portion, a district staff member warned that the state’s reported surplus may not address local funding shortfalls for schools.
"There's about $2,500,000,000 of surplus that's out there," the staff member said, then added concern that the district’s special-education reimbursement stands at about 37% compared with a previously cited 42% figure. "It's almost a $100,000 difference…that's about where our budget's in the red for this year," the staff member said, urging board members and community members to raise the issue with legislators.
The staff member framed the question as both fairness to taxpayers and a need to honor prior budget commitments: some surplus should return to taxpayers, the staff member said, but other portions should fulfill promises in the current biennium budget. They cautioned that political disagreement could leave substantial surplus unused and that the district had already experienced property-tax pressures tied to unmet state offsets.
No formal board action was taken on the report; members received the update as informational and were encouraged to engage with legislators about funding priorities.
