Brookings School District previews 2026–27 budget; projects $29.6 million general fund

At its May meeting, the Brookings School District 05-1 board heard a preliminary 2026–27 budget presentation from Stacy Van Beek, director of business services, who said the district is using a working enrollment estimate of 3,417 for budgeting.

"This is our preliminary look at our budget for next school year," Van Beek said, adding that the district’s current-year head count was 3,454 and that a large graduating class will reduce net enrollment for next year. She told the board the district is using an approximate state-aid figure of just over $7,600 per student as a planning benchmark.

The district projects all-funds spending just above $64 million and a general fund of roughly $29.6 million for 2026–27. Major capital-outlay items in the plan include a science-area renovation at Brookings High School budgeted at about $2.35 million and an estimated $800,000 roof replacement at the high school. Van Beek said capital-outlay work will mainly be funded from fund balance for the science project.

Board members pressed Van Beek on cost drivers. She flagged routine increases in health and dental insurance, property and liability insurance (an estimated 8–10 percent rise), higher natural-gas and fuel prices, lane-change salary increases for staff who complete additional coursework, and transportation costs tied to increased trips and driver lodging. She said the district is pursuing efficiencies — boundary adjustments, print-management reductions and technology procurement changes — to offset pressure on the general fund.

The preliminary presentation also described how recent state property-tax relief changes will affect local levies. Van Beek used a $300,000-household example to show the owner-occupied levy dropping from 2.520 to 0.669 per thousand and estimated a taxpayer savings of about $487 in 2027 in that example, while emphasizing that the state intends to replace the local revenue via formula changes and one-time funds in the near term.

Special education remains a volatile line item, Van Beek said. The district will again apply for extraordinary-cost funds next year; this year’s district ask was noted in the business-manager report. The draft budget sets a special-education levy at 1.449 for pay 2027.

Board action connected to the budget included approval of a $151,530 supplemental amendment to the 2025–26 budget to cover higher-than-expected costs for print management, translating services, additional online-class costs for the Bobcat Plains Academy program, movie-licensing, Infinite Campus enhancements and transportation overtime. Van Beek said the supplement will be funded from cash reserves with expected underspends in other areas offsetting the draw.

The board was told a final budget presentation and adoption are planned for July, when enrollment and several cost items should be more certain.