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Rocklin Unified previews 2024–25 budget; staff says multi‑year planned deficit is tied to one‑time funds, unrestricted deficit just over $1M
Summary
Deputy Superintendent Jennifer Stahliver told trustees the 2024–25 budget projects decreases in some state and federal revenues and a planned multi‑year deficit driven largely by one‑time, restricted learning‑recovery and grant funds; she said the unrestricted budget shows a projected deficit of just over $1 million and that the district maintains a healthy fund balance (projected ~30.21%). The board will consider adoption June 20.
Jennifer Stahliver, deputy superintendent for business and operations, presented the district’s draft 2024–25 budget and the required public hearing on the budget and annual workers’ compensation certification.
Stahliver told trustees the district projects some decreases in revenues for 2024–25 — including LCFF allocations, certain federal apportionments and one‑time state funds — and noted the removal of about $2.7 million in clean‑energy bus grant revenues that were recognized in 2023–24. She said salary and benefits remain the largest portion of general‑fund expenditures and that roughly 84% of projected general‑fund spending is for salary and benefits.
On the headline numbers, a trustee pointed out a multi‑million dollar gap between the roughly $169.8 million of projected revenue and approximately $176.5 million in projected expenditures; Stahliver explained the larger gap reflects planned spending of one‑time, restricted funds (learning‑recovery commitments, prior bus‑grant related outlays and textbook adoption commitments) and is therefore a planned deficit rather than a structural shortfall. She said the unrestricted budget is projected to carry a deficit of just over $1 million.
Stahliver highlighted the district’s reserves and commitments: a projected fund balance of about 30.21% (projected based on estimated actuals), a $3.1 million commitment for textbook adoptions through 2028–29, and assigned funds for technology refresh and learning‑recovery commitments. She said careful management of projected enrollment and attendance was helping revenue projections and that staff had worked to reduce previously projected structural shortfalls.
Trustees asked about special education costs and staffing. Stahliver described substantial increases in special‑education enrollment in recent years (hundreds of additional students across multi‑year comparisons) and said some required services — such as contracted speech and language pathologists — are difficult to staff as salaried positions. To address that variability, the budget includes a $1 million commitment to cover expected contracting and high‑cost special‑education services.
There were no public comments at the budget hearing. Stahliver said staff will monitor state budget developments, update projections at first interim and return to the board for formal adoption of the district budget on June 20.
