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District outlines assumptions on substitutes, transportation, insurance and levy uses
Summary
Staff told the committee it budgets substitute pay based on state minimums (often paying above the minimum), a transportation budget under $7 million with about 70% state reimbursement, an 18% PACE property valuation adjustment on insured assets, and a 3.9% estimated local option levy increase (~$382,000) to support specials and extracurricular access.
District budget staff walked the committee through specific spending assumptions that feed the draft 2026–27 budget, including substitute pay, transportation contracts, insurance exposure and how the local option levy is used.
Substitutes and pay: Lauren explained the district contracts substitutes for certified and classified staff and follows state‑set minimum substitute rates (updated annually). “We always try to pay a little bit higher than that to attract people to fill our sub jobs,” she said, and noted the district bases substitute assumptions on the higher of the February CPI rate or a three‑year trend.
Transportation: The transportation contract is a multi‑year agreement that currently runs through June 2027 with possible extensions; staff said the district budgets under $7 million for transportation and expects about 70% of the home‑to‑school transportation costs to be returned through the state school fund. Activity trips and athletics are generally excluded from that reimbursement and require separate funding.
Insurance drivers: The district is insured through a public entity pool (PACE). Staff said a recent property valuation cycle produced an approximate 18% increase in the district’s property values for the pool — roughly $600 million of covered assets — which raises premium exposure even if the market for premiums has settled somewhat.
Local option levy: Staff presented a 3.9% assumed increase in the local option levy (about $382,000) tied to assessed values. Lauren described that levy funding is braided with state grants to maintain smaller class sizes, fund elementary specials (music, PE, art and STEAM), vocational and technical education, counselors and mental‑health supports and to cover some extracurricular transportation costs; the district has used levy funds to eliminate many student participation fees, which staff said increased participation.
School discretionary allocations: Staff described weighted discretionary allocations per student (K–6 $210; 7–8 $350; 9–12 $360) and said the per‑student allocations rose while total discretionary spending declined due to lower enrollment.
What to watch: the committee requested clearer line‑item reporting for state grants (Student Investment Account and related funds) and detailed schedules showing when consolidation savings will show up; staff said those materials will be included in the budget packet released May 8.
