Budget Update: Week of Feb. 6, 2023

At this week's School Board meeting, board directors will review an updated draft of the Budget Development Guidelines, including a budget timeline. Board action is anticipated.

District staff members and School Board directors have been reviewing key information to prepare to make decisions about how best to align district spending with revenue. The district is facing a deficit of at least $17.5 million, due to a number of factors including declining enrollment, the costs of the COVID-19 pandemic paired with a relatively low amount of federal relief funding, increasing inflation, cost of living increases approved by the Legislature, unfunded mandates and more. Board members have approved cuts in the past two school years as part of a multi-year effort to address the deficit.

Key upcoming points in the budget process include an opportunity for community input in March and the end of the regular Legislative session on April 24. The superintendent's budget review announcement, which will include information about any program changes, will be made by late April.

This week's board meeting is at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Administration Building. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person or virtually, and meeting details are available on our website.

To learn more about this year's budget process, visit the Finance & Budget page and scroll down to the "Budget" tab; or, read prior School Board Meeting Recaps on our website.