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Calhoun ISD superintendent outlines CISD budget to Battle Creek board, stresses 100% special‑education reimbursement
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Summary
Jerry Johnson, new superintendent of Calhoun ISD, presented the intermediate district's budget to the Battle Creek Board on April 27, emphasizing a plan to sustain 100% reimbursement for local special‑education costs, a $10,000,000 statewide grant loss and a new indirect cost reimbursement policy.
Jerry Johnson, the new superintendent of Calhoun Intermediate School District, presented the district's budget to the Battle Creek Board of Education on April 27, detailing revenue sources, spending trends and changes that affect local districts.
Johnson told the board that the CISD employs about 450 staff, operates four facilities and manages an all‑fund budget of roughly $100 million. "We employ 450-ish staff members," Johnson said, and he described the all‑fund total for 2025–26 at about $109.7 million, with a projected drop to about $103.7 million in 2026–27.
The presentation highlighted the general fund (about $36 million in expenditures) and a special‑education budget line in which Johnson reported roughly $54 million in revenue and about $56 million in expenditures. He said the county currently reimburses local districts 100% of approved special‑education expenditures and that the CISD projects maintaining that level "over the next five years." "We project the ability to maintain that reimbursement level over the next five years," Johnson said.
Johnson attributed a year‑to‑year drop in revenues and expenditures to the end of a prior statewide grant. "That was the statewide grant. Yes. It was a $10,000,000 grant," he said, explaining that the grant had been folded into the general fund in prior years and its absence reduced fund balances.
He also announced a renewed indirect cost reimbursement for local districts, funded from a mix of Medicaid dollars, reimbursements and other discretionary sources. Johnson described the reimbursement as discretionary and said the CISD will evaluate it annually. "These resources are by our discretion and choice," he said.
On career and technical education and technology, Johnson said career‑tech revenue totals about $11.9 million with revised expenditures near $13 million, and that a portion of a quarter‑mill millage supports the countywide technology department (roughly $3 million revenue and $3.3 million in expenditures). He noted upcoming fiber network work intended to improve redundancy and countywide connectivity.
Board members asked clarifying questions. When a member asked whether the big drop in 2026–27 was tied to the grant, Johnson confirmed the $10 million grant ended and was the primary reason for the change. In response to a question about how special‑education classroom and staffing needs are determined, Johnson said the local district chooses its service delivery model and reimbursement is limited to services approved in the countywide mandatory plan; items not part of that plan are not reimbursed.
Johnson closed by offering to share additional materials and answer follow‑up questions. No formal board action on the CISD budget was recorded in the transcript from this meeting; Johnson said by law the board will be asked to approve the CISD general fund budget in due course.
