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Antioch Unified's first interim budget shows multi-year deficits as one-time funds phase out
Summary
Staff reported increased one-time federal and state revenues but projected multi-year shortfalls as ESSER and other COVID-era funds are spent down; the board approved the first interim report and asked for additional historical and enrollment breakdowns.
Antioch Unified's finance staff presented the district's first interim budget update through Oct. 31, 2024, noting revenue increases tied to ESSER carryover and expanded after-school program funding but projecting multi-year structural shortfalls as one-time COVID-era funds are exhausted.
Interim budget staff summarized changes since the adopted budget: federal revenue rose largely because of ESSER carryover, state revenue increased with expanded after-school (ELOP) allocations, and local revenue increased due to CALSHAPE HVAC funding and new grants. Enrollment rose by about 200 students (from an adopted estimate of roughly 14,832 to an actual headcount near 15,200), though funded Average Daily Attendance (ADA) remained governed by the state's three-year average in use since the pandemic.
Finance staff reported a projected ending fund balance near $55 million but explained that the district is deficit-spending on one-time reserves; under current multi-year assumptions the district expects to identify roughly $3 million in reductions for 2025-26 and about $4.2 million in 2026-27 unless ongoing revenues increase or one-time uses are restructured. "We will be doing board workshops and working with cabinet members to identify cuts for up to about $3 million at this point," Miss Robbins said.
Trustees asked for further detail on which sites gained enrollment, whether medical billing fully offsets related special-education costs, and requested a historical comparison of projections versus actuals over the last decade. The board unanimously approved the first interim report and directed staff to return with the requested data and options to soften the out-year impact where possible.
The board also approved reinstatement of a bilingual district attendance liaison to focus on chronic truancy at Equity Multiplier sites, funding that will be supplemented by designated LCFF multiplier dollars as described in the staff presentation.
