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Edwardsburg board approves 2026-27 budget, bond lighting upgrade and several curriculum items
Summary
The Edwardsburg Public Schools board approved the ISD's 2026-27 budget (the first deficit in four years), a Bond 2024 middle-school LED lighting alternate, a Jobs for Michigan Graduates pilot at the ALC, and the permanent adoption of four middle-school courses. The board also voted to enter closed session to consider the superintendent's evaluation.
The Edwardsburg Public Schools Board of Education on Monday approved a set of budget, facilities and curriculum measures, including the ISD's 2026-27 general fund budget, a lighting upgrade tied to a middle-school HVAC project, a pilot of the Jobs for Michigan Graduates (JMG) program at the district's Alternative Learning Center (ALC), and the conversion of four middle-school pilot courses to permanent offerings.
ISD Chief Financial Officer Jeff Jasper told the board the 2026-27 general fund is the district's first deficit budget in four years. "It's the first time in 4 years we've had a deficit budget," Jasper said, and he attributed the shortfall to two capital decisions: a land purchase for a planned CTE/Vo-Ed center and construction work at ISD facilities. Jasper said the district purchased 16 acres in Cassopolis for $160,000 to support a future career and technical education center, and that separate construction and parking improvements at the Education Center and Brookside Learning Center accounted for "over $550,000" in expenditures. Jasper added the district did not add staff for the upcoming year.
Board members approved the budget-related item (listed in the agenda as the Heritage Southwest ISD item) by roll call.
On the Bond 2024 projects, the board approved an alternate to the middle-school HVAC contract to replace existing classroom lighting with LED fixtures so the installation can take place while ceilings are opened for HVAC work. A district presenter explained the LED alternate was initially excluded because of its added cost, but after accounting for labor already scheduled to remove and replace fixtures during HVAC work it made financial sense to include the LED option. The transcript records the additional LED cost only as "100" without clear units; the board voted to add the LED lighting alternate to the summer project.
Curriculum changes won board approval by roll call. The board approved a pilot of Jobs for Michigan Graduates (JMG) at the ALC. Mr. Towner described JMG as an in-person career-readiness curriculum (up to 27 weeks) that trains faculty as facilitators, provides a stipend to participating districts, and offers 12-month follow-up contact with graduates. The board approved the pilot at the ALC with the option to consider broader rollout to high-school sites in future.
The board also approved making four middle-school pilot classes permanent: Intro to Law (offered in eighth grade), Digital Design, Theater Arts and Yearbook. Board members characterized the trials as successful and noted the courses provide elective options that can feed into high-school programs.
Votes at a glance: - Agenda approval: passed (voice vote). - Consent agenda (minutes, invoices, MHSAA participation resolution, overnight athletic/team camp approvals): passed (voice vote). - Heritage Southwest ISD (budget item): passed (roll-call; unanimous in recorded responses). - Middle-school lighting alternate (Bond 2024): passed (roll-call; recorded affirmative votes). - JMG pilot (ALC): passed (roll-call; recorded affirmative votes). - Permanent course offerings (Intro to Law, Digital Design, Theater Arts, Yearbook): passed (roll-call; recorded affirmative votes). - Motion to enter closed session to consider the superintendent's performance evaluation: passed (roll-call).
Why this matters: the budget and bond approvals define near-term capital work (including the CTE land purchase and site improvements) and a decision to invest in energy-efficient lighting while HVAC ceilings are open; the curriculum decisions commit the district to a new career-readiness pilot and to course offerings intended to expand student options at the middle-school level.
What comes next: the district will proceed with ordering approved Bond 2024 alternates for summer work and will schedule JMG facilitation meetings and summer trainings for faculty if the pilot proceeds. The board left the room to meet in closed session on the superintendent's evaluation following the votes.
