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Platteville board hears preliminary 2026–27 budget showing $700,000 shortfall, eyes capital improvements
Summary
At its July 15 meeting the Platteville School District board reviewed a preliminary 2026–27 budget projecting about $22.4 million in revenues and $23.1 million in expenditures (roughly a $700,000 deficit), discussed levy and mill-rate projections and a $2.1 million list of prioritized capital projects tied to a federal grant application.
The Platteville School District board on July 15 reviewed a preliminary budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year that projects about $22.4 million in revenues and roughly $23.1 million in expenditures, producing a preliminary $700,000 deficit.
Demetri Andrews, who walked the board through the budget, said the projection reflects major cost drivers including a 22% increase in health insurance and a 1% staff wage increase with eligible employee advancement. "Our preliminary revenues are about 22,400,000 and preliminary expenditures of about 23,100,000, which results in a projected $700,000 negative deficit spending," Andrews said.
Staff emphasized that part of the revenue picture is the state’s biennial budget and that recent state aid increases do not automatically expand the district’s revenue limit. A staff member clarified that the state aid portion is separate from property-tax-supported revenue-limit increases and cautioned the board against reading headlines as "more money" without parsing which revenue streams increased.
Board members discussed options to reduce the gap, with one member noting that "we need 80 more kids" as a way the district could materially increase revenue through enrollment growth.
The board also reviewed a preliminary levy and mill-rate comparison, which showed last year’s levy near $9.6 million and a projection toward about $9.9 million next year with an estimated mill-rate increase of approximately $0.08; staff cautioned these numbers are preliminary and depend on October equalization aid and final property-tax values.
Separately, the board heard an overview of the capital improvement plan (CIP). Andrews said the CIP uses a red/yellow/green priority system, with prioritized non-personnel maintenance items totaling about $2.1 million. Staff noted the district plans to apply for a federal grant to cover red-priority items with a fast turn-around and an end-of-August submission deadline.
Staff also described Fund 46 as a district savings tool for identified facility projects that requires five years of establishment before funds may be used; the district has not yet deposited surplus funds into Fund 46 because it has operated on deficit budgets in recent years.
The board did not take final budget action at the meeting; staff asked trustees to send follow-up questions by email and noted the figures will be refined as state and property-tax data become final.
