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Board reviews FY27 continuation needs and potential expansion asks ahead of county submission
Summary
Staff presented the superintendent’s FY27 continuation analysis, projecting roughly $3.1M in continuation needs after preliminary revenue adjustments and outlining scenarios that could leave a $1.1M to $4.6M gap depending on county and state actions; the board discussed including an expansion request for phased supplements and curriculum funding.
Budget staff presented the superintendent’s recommended FY27 operating request and continuation drivers, focusing on pay and benefits as primary cost pressures and on enrollment decline that reduces revenue. Mr. Scott said the district is planning around a projected decline of about 277 students and that continuation costs (salaries, benefits and inflation) were initially estimated at roughly $3.7 million; after updated revenue estimates (special district tax and revised state allotments) the staff now estimate just under $3.1 million in continuation need.
Under a baseline assumption of a 3% county increase, Mr. Scott said the district would face a gap of about $1.1 million. Other scenarios — for example, a county move to a phased per‑pupil formula or a state retroactive salary increase — could drive gaps as large as $2.8 million to $4.6 million, depending on policy changes. The staff noted a previous $500,000 gap had been largely addressed through more granular reconciliation of state program report codes.
Board members debated whether to include expansion asks in the county request to restore supplements and build a curriculum sustainability fund. One expansion scenario outlined raising certified and classified supplements by 1% per year for three years (costing roughly $900,000/year as scaled) and creating a curriculum fund that ramps to $500,000 in year three. Board members asked staff to draft a board request that could include continuation funding plus a targeted expansion reflecting priorities for staff pay and curriculum investment.
No final budget request was adopted; staff will return with refined language and a draft board request to carry to the county commissioners for the April 30 joint meeting.
