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Platte County School District #1 previews preliminary 2026-27 budget as state recalibration changes funding rules
Summary
At a May workshop, the district's business manager presented a preliminary 2026-27 budget showing a likely deficit under the state's recalibration (Senate File 81), explained a choice to set the district's average teacher salary schedule at $73,000, and warned that pending WDE guidance on leases and insurance could materially change carryover estimates.
The Platte County School District #1 board of trustees heard a preliminary budget presentation on the district's 2026-27 finances and potential impacts from the state's K-12 recalibration.
Weigel, the district's business manager, told trustees the recalibration enacted in "Senate File 81" shifts the state to a two-year average daily membership calculation and requires districts to use a statewide average teacher salary in the funding model. "We are using prior data that may not be accurate," he said, urging trustees to treat the slide-tool numbers as estimates. "Please note these are estimates, and it is not guaranteed at this time." (Weigel, business manager)
The district reported preliminary figures: about $5.4 million in cash carryover, roughly $5.9 million in local revenue, $1.8 million in county revenue, and about $13.6 million in state revenue, producing about $26.8 million in total availability across funds. Weigel projected roughly $19.8 million in direct-instruction and related expenditures and said the district is "anticipating a deficit budget" under the new rules, though utility savings and a lower workers' compensation rate have helped offset some pressure.
On the teacher-salary requirement, Weigel said Platte County School District #1 chose the option to adjust its salary schedule to an average of $73,000 rather than modeling individual hires over the implementation period. "Plat 1 chose to go with option number 2 just so we weren't trying to figure out who we were going to hire," he said, noting the approach will be reevaluated after the three-year implementation window.
Trustees also discussed several budget risks that remain unresolved: WDE guidance on how districts must report health-insurance data, treatment of pre-97 monies in cash carryover, and rules about bus leases. Weigel warned that if the state disallows leases after July 1 and requires districts to pay off buses upfront, the district's cash carryover "will decrease by quite a bit." He said reimbursements under the current guidance would be expected within roughly 90 days.
The proposed budget includes a planned transfer of about $1.9 million to the depreciation reserve to manage year-end carryover and a suggested $400,000 transfer to support the food-service program. Weigel also indicated he had raised diesel by approximately $1 per gallon in the transportation line to reflect market changes.
Next steps: trustees were told this is a preliminary tool; the business manager will update figures as WDE posts final guidance and after year-end accounting. The board has a pending vote on raises and benefits at the next regular meeting, and staff said they will email trustees adjusted budget scenarios (for example, a 10% carryover option) before the June meeting.
