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Rialto Unified reveals $204M in reserves; board adopts unaudited 2024–25 actuals and approves several contracts, tables audit award
Summary
District fiscal staff reported roughly $204 million in combined ending funds for 2024–25; the board approved several contracts (engineering, routing software, compensatory services, Lexia) and adopted the unaudited actuals, while tabling a proposed multi‑year audit contract pending more vendor options.
The Rialto Unified School District board received an update on the district’s unaudited 2024–25 financials on Sept. 10 and approved a set of routine contracts while deferring a multi‑year audit award for further review.
Nicole Albiso, executive director of fiscal services, told the board the district closed fiscal year 2024–25 with an unrestricted ending fund balance of about $87.4 million and restricted funds totaling roughly $117 million, producing a combined ending fund balance of approximately $204 million. Albiso said the restricted balance includes funds earmarked for programs such as Expanded Learning Opportunity (ELOP), the Learning Recovery Block Grant, and a delayed $5 million asphalt project shifted into the 2025–26 year. She also said the district was planning for an estimated $8 million math‑textbook adoption in FY26 and continues to deficit spend in both restricted and unrestricted programs.
"We do in fact have an ending fund balance of just over $200 million," Albiso said during the presentation. She noted the district closed with more restricted dollars than projected and that enrollment was down about 235 students from the projection, a reduction that will affect future ADA‑based funding.
Public commenters and union representatives pushed back on some of the district’s deficit projections. Tobin Brink and a representative from the Rialto Education Association argued the district has frequently projected deficits that did not materialize, citing prior years when audited results were substantially better than budget projections. The REA speaker said long‑term employees saw lower settlements while the district accumulated reserves; the union signaled that wages will be a central bargaining issue.
On district business, the board approved multiple consent items and contracts: an agreement with Rick Engineering for civil engineering services at Trapp Elementary (not to exceed $28,750), and a contract with Education Logistics Inc. for Athena routing software (not to exceed $14,400) intended to modernize bus routing and reduce manual mapping. The board also approved a renewal with Dynamic Education Services for compensatory education (not to exceed $50,000) and a professional development agreement with Lexia Learning Systems (not to exceed $52,500).
A proposed three‑year audit services contract with ID Bailey LLP (total not to exceed $216,000) drew extensive discussion. Trustees asked staff to provide a vetted list of alternative audit firms with school‑district expertise before awarding a multi‑year contract; one trustee moved to table the audit contract pending that information and the motion to table carried.
The board voted to approve the 2024–25 unaudited actuals and adopted Resolution No. 2526‑10 confirming appropriations do not exceed Proposition 4 limits. The board also acted on closed‑session items: denying liability claim number 252605 and approving a stipulated expulsion in case 25261.
What’s next: Administration will return with a list of potential audit firms and a follow‑up presentation on special‑education class caps and staffing at the next regular meeting.
