Washington Unified reports about $31 million in projected excess reserves for 2025–26

Monique Sova, the district’s chief business officer, opened the statutorily required public hearing on the Washington Unified School District’s projected excess reserves for the 2025–26 fiscal year and explained how the district calculates and classifies those reserves.

Sova said the district estimates about $31 million in projected excess reserves for 2025–26. "It includes the $16.25 million that the board set aside for our budget stabilization, about $4 million is the required 3% reserve, and the other about $7 million is unassigned," she said, noting the figures are projections and the final numbers will be confirmed when the district closes its books in September 2026.

Sova emphasized that reserves represent accumulated, unspent funds — not a windfall — and can result from delayed program implementation, reduced expenses, or one‑time savings. She said unassigned reserves in prior years have been used for deferred maintenance, technology and safety projects and that the board may designate unassigned funds for similar priorities.

The public hearing was opened for comment; none were received, and the board closed the hearing. Sova reminded trustees that the board’s policy requires a minimum 6% reserve (board policy), while state law requires a 3% reserve. The presentation and public hearing satisfy the district’s obligation under the California Education Code to explain reserves above the statutory minimum.

Next steps: the presentation will be part of the public record prior to the formal budget adoption (which the board later approved at the same meeting). The district will finalize figures when year‑end closing occurs in September 2026.