Presenter outlines Creighton Elementary District (4263) budget, cites steep enrollment drop and levy for Biltmore rebuild

The presenter told the Governing Board of Creighton Elementary District (4263), "I am pleased to present the fiscal year 2026–27 adopted budget update," outlining projections, state funding changes and a proposed adjacent-ways levy to support rebuilding Biltmore Preparatory Academy.

The presenter said declining enrollment remains the budget's main risk and walked the board through recent average daily membership (ADM) numbers. He said the district's adopted projection for a past year was 45.97 ADM with an actual of 45.80; for FY2024–25 the projection was 44.05 with an actual of 44.71; and for FY2025–26 the adopted projection was 44.54 with an actual of 41.69. "We were 2.85 less ADM and over 500 decline in enrollment," the presenter stated, calling FY2025–26 "one of the largest hits to our ADM in 20 years." He said the FY2026–27 projection is 41.69 but that the official 100‑day count (confirmed in February) will finalize the number.

The presenter attributed some enrollment volatility to immigration patterns and referenced historical impacts from SB 1070 in 2010, saying those prior changes informed recent projections. He added the district had mitigated some budgetary effects but "did not mitigate in staffing," and that the impacts are documented for future planning.

On revenues, the presenter said the state's base support level and the transportation funding formula increased by the standard 2%, moving the base support level from $5,113.26 to roughly $5,215.23 (the adopted presentation listed $5,215.53, which the presenter said will be corrected in a future revision). He said the district's qualifying tax rate (QTR) for nonunified districts will be reduced to $1.51, a decline of 1.0474 from the prior year, increasing the share of funding that comes through state equalization. He also said district additional assistance combined with one-time free-and-reduced-lunch funds will total approximately $380,000 for Creighton.

The presenter noted a statewide approval of $200,000,000 for building renewal grants and new school construction, which he described as positive but insufficient for overall need. He said discussions about renewal of Proposition 123 did not move forward in the legislature and that the district has about $4,000,000 in local cash balances described as "dead cash," a topic the board will address in future budget discussions.

A major capital topic was an adjacent-ways levy intended to support the rebuild of Biltmore Preparatory Academy. The presenter said the levy is expected to raise funds for off-site and on-site improvements—curbs, sidewalks, driveways, bike lanes, emergency access, lighting, utilities and similar infrastructure—and estimated the adjacent-ways need at $2,000,000. He said the proposed levy would raise the district's primary property tax on a $100,000 home by about $30.78 per year and that the Truth in Taxation process had been triggered to inform taxpayers.

He explained that Arizona law requires validation of adjacent-ways projects through the Arizona School Facilities Board, and projects over $50,000 require formal validation before district funds may be spent. The presenter said detailed project descriptions and construction updates will be provided to the governing board as planning progresses.

Because the district adopted its proposed budget before the legislature concluded, the presenter said the district often submits adopted budgets on older state budget forms and then files budget revisions (commonly in September and December, with final revisions due in May) after state actions are finalized. He said the district will provide budget revisions to ensure it receives full qualified funding once state numbers are finalized.

The presenter closed by offering to answer questions about the FY2026–27 adopted budget and thanking the board and community for their time.