Board member warns SSD faces about $82 million shortfall; Lindbergh Schools hears MSBA update on state grading plan

A board member told the Lindbergh Schools Board of Education on June 16 that the Special School District (SSD) recently approved a budget projected "to run on about an $82 million deficit, which will bring their fund balance down to 20%." The report to the board noted that SSD is considering short-term borrowing and that the deficit has contributed to discussion of a potential operating levy.

Why it matters: the board member said SSD's fund balance has fallen from about 33% in the prior year to an estimated 20% under the proposed budget, and that SSD listed roughly "313.5 vacancies" in its budget documents. The member said the combination of large deficits and staffing vacancies could affect services for high‑need students and might prompt state monitoring if conditions worsen.

The board member also summarized takeaways from the Missouri School Boards Association summer summit, reporting that proposed A–F school rankings were discussed and that an executive order could set implementation dates. "There is hope that it will be September 2027," the member said, but they warned the state could move more quickly through an emergency-regulation process.

At the SSD governing council meeting the member attended, the council approved its budget; the member reported vote counts there as "17 yeses and 4 nos." The meeting summary also said some members proposed a salary freeze for teachers and staff and that teachers and administrators spoke in public comment opposing pay freezes. The member said SSD is prepared to consider short-term borrowing in the fall to cover operations.

What was said on funding and staffing: the board member relayed MSBA finance reporting that audit costs statewide have risen substantially and that districts can request MSBA data to show local revenue and expense trends. The member recommended the Lindbergh board monitor SSD developments, consider whether to engage in state regulatory processes (for example through testimony to MSBA or state rulemaking), and prepare the community for possible local budget actions.

Next steps: the board was told a special meeting is scheduled June 30 to adopt the Lindbergh Schools 2026–2027 budget; the board member said the district will continue to track SSD's budget trajectory and the statewide policy timeline. The board did not take formal action on SSD matters during this meeting.

Sources: remarks by a board member reporting on MSBA sessions and an SSD governing council meeting during the Lindbergh Schools Board of Education meeting on June 16, 2026.