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NORFORK SCHOOL DISTRICT moves to accept FY2026 budget, discusses bus purchase and drop in federal funds
Summary
Board members moved to accept the fiscal year 2026 budget and discussed buying an activity bus and a recent drop in federal funding tied to lower free-and-reduced-lunch form returns; a parent meeting was scheduled Oct. 14 to help families complete forms that affect funding.
The NORFORK SCHOOL DISTRICT board moved to accept the fiscal year 2026 budget after a presentation that included a recommendation to purchase an activity bus and a review of declining federal program revenues.
The presenter recommended buying a large activity bus, saying it would cost an additional $22,100 beyond amounts already built into the budget and would allow teams to travel without using two buses. “I would recommend these these uh this bus to you. I I think it's I think it's something that would be good for your school district,” the presenter said. The presenter also said one white bus had already been purchased and that roughly $78,000 was already included elsewhere in the budget; precise line-item totals in the transcript were variably transcribed.
Board members questioned whether the bus payment would come from the building fund or the operating/ending balance; the presenter clarified the amount would reduce the ending balance in operating funds and that the building fund was unchanged.
The meeting included extended discussion about a drop in federal grant revenue tied to free-and-reduced-lunch form returns. The presenter said federal reimbursements had fallen sharply compared with the prior period, citing figures that a previous reimbursement level described as about $350,000 had been reported down to roughly $143,000 in one description, and outlined a planned three-year phase-in to restore funding if form returns improve. The presenter urged stronger parent outreach and supported a planned parent meeting in the cafeteria on Oct. 14 to help families complete forms and learn how grades and funding calculations work.
Board members also reviewed fund balances and noted a prior transfer from the building fund that occurred before the presenter's tenure. Josh commented on the criteria used to identify fiscal distress, saying the district would need to show three consecutive years of decline and run a specific multiplier calculation to trigger formal fiscal-distress procedures; board members agreed the district was not near that threshold.
At the meeting's close a motion to accept the fiscal year 2026 budget was made and seconded. The transcript records the motion and second and a call for the vote, but it does not include a vote tally or a formal announcement of the result.
Next steps noted in the discussion included holding the parent information session on Oct. 14 and monitoring form returns and federal program balances.
