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Board approves preliminary $250M‑plus budget as enrollment rises by 285 students
Summary
The Wayzata board approved the district’s preliminary 2026–27 budget after a presentation showing projected enrollment of 13,349 (up 285) and total general‑fund revenue above $250 million; administrators flagged special‑education revenue uncertainty tied to federal funding and described contingency planning.
The Wayzata Public School District board voted to approve the preliminary 2026–27 budget after hearing a detailed presentation from Executive Director Trevor Peterson and finance staff.
Key points administrators presented: enrollment for the preliminary budget is estimated at 13,349 students (early childhood through age 22), an increase of 285 from the prior year’s revised estimate; the state formula allowance used in the district’s modeling was $7,683 per pupil; preliminary budgeted general‑fund revenues were presented as just over $250 million when including state aids, property taxes, federal allocations and local revenues; and the district projected a modest operating surplus before restricted fund impacts (administration estimated a projected 6/30/2026 unassigned fund‑balance addition in the range of a few million dollars depending on slide figures and restricted‑fund treatment).
Finance staff noted several caveats: federal special‑education allocations remain uncertain — the district uses carryover strategically to smooth year‑to‑year volatility — and state/federal final allocations are not all finalized until later in the budget cycle (prelim federal allocations typically arrive in August with final allocations in March). The presentation also explained restricted fund balances for long‑term facility maintenance (LTFM) and operating capital and how those amounts are presented differently in alternative slides.
The board discussed the assumptions and asked about contingency plans if revenue or enrollment projections change; administrators pointed to fund‑balance management, potential postponement of nonessential capital or operating expenditures, and routine monitoring of enrollments.
The board approved the preliminary budget on a roll‑call vote as presented, and administration will return with revised budget documents as necessary when final state and federal allocations are known.
