Park Hill board adopts $352 million 2026–27 budget, approves year-end transfers

The Park Hill Board of Education on June 25 adopted the district's 2026–27 expenditure budget and approved year-end budget amendments and transfers, voting unanimously to carry the spending plan into the new fiscal year.

Dr. Kelly, presenting the budget, said the recommended expenditure budget totals about $352 million and rests on a student enrollment projection of 11,384. He told the board the district expects roughly $233.1 million in operating revenue and that year-end accounting changes produced about $14 million more revenue than the prior year's budget projections.

The proposed budget reflects large, planned capital spending tied to prior bond sales and rising debt service. Dr. Kelly said debt service will increase by about $4 million to roughly $24 million and that capital outlays are sizable next year (staff referenced a capital figure near $94 million). He explained the operating budget is growing for multiple reasons, including higher utilities and transportation costs and negotiated compensation changes.

On personnel and services, the budget implements an average 3.15% salary increase and a 5% rise in benefits previously negotiated with staff. Administrators also told the board the recommended staffing additions include one social worker, a second school-based mental-health therapist with a substance-abuse specialization, additional middle-school gifted teachers, and two more Section 504 coordinators to address rising needs.

Dr. Kelly described two transfers the board approved as part of year-end actions: a transfer (up to $56 million) from Fund 1 into Fund 2 to begin the next fiscal year with Fund 2 at zero, and an authorized transfer from Fund 1 to Fund 4 of up to $5.7 million (staff noted they expect to transfer closer to $2 million based on mid-July accounting). He emphasized these are transfers of spending authority across funds rather than newly authorized spending.

Board members thanked staff for a multi-month budget process and for finding around $2.1–$2.3 million in efficiencies that did not reduce FTEs. One trustee noted the long-term challenge of volatile revenue sources — particularly the uneven timing of bond proceeds, local tax shifts and state funding — that complicates multi-year planning.

The board moved and seconded the expenditure budget and related amendments and transfers; both measures passed on unanimous voice votes recorded as 7-0. The budget will take effect July 1, 2026, and staff said they will finalize any mid-July accounting adjustments as needed.

The board also approved policy updates and a routine consent agenda at the same meeting. The district said additional information items (bids, curriculum updates, and an alternative methods of instruction application) will return for board action July 23, 2026.