Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Forest Hills outlines 2025–26 budget assumptions, projects higher expenditures and fund‑balance use
Summary
District staff presented a 2025–26 budget with projected revenues of about $132.9M and expenditures of about $141.3M, a planned per‑pupil increase of $392 and the use of roughly $8.4M of fund balance next year; board members asked clarifying questions about grants and new positions.
District staff presented the Forest Hills Public Schools proposed 2025–26 budget and an amendment to the current year at the June 23 public hearing.
Ms. Davis told the board the state has not finalized school funding, so the district built in an estimated per‑pupil foundation increase of $392 (about $3.4 million). She said retirement accounting changes (section 147A/147Gs) will reduce a revenue stream by roughly $4.3 million, while a section 147c accounting flow will increase by about $2.8 million. The district is also accounting for several grant reductions and expirations, including the wind‑down of short‑term literacy and ESSER funds.
On the expense side, the district expects to add five elementary teachers to support a new junior‑kindergarten program and create supervisors of student support systems (one per elementary school, ten positions total). Ms. Davis said she offset some costs by shifting certain positions into grant funding where allowable. She said ratified employee contracts add an estimated $4.8 million to expenditures while a small retirement‑rate decrease yields nearly $900,000 in savings.
Ms. Davis presented topline figures: current‑year revenue $135,900,000 (with an amendment to roughly $137,700,000) and next‑year projected revenue of about $132,900,000. Current‑year expenditures stand at $137,900,000 (amendment to $138,500,000), with next‑year proposed expenditures of about $141,300,000. The budget includes the use of nearly $8.4 million of fund balance next year, which Ms. Davis said would bring the district’s fund balance to approximately 10.8% of expenses if assumptions hold.
Board members asked for clarification about grant assumptions (Section 31a timing and spending), junior kindergarten staffing, and the new student‑support supervisors. Ms. Davis said some positions will be filled internally while others will be hired externally, and that the district will revisit assumptions in the first amendment as enrollment and state numbers firm up.
The hearing record and staff presentation will be part of the board’s public record as the board proceeds with appropriation amendments and adoption votes later in the meeting.
