District 11 previews FY27 budget, proposes targeted raises and nonrecurring compensation funded from reserves

District finance staff presented a high-level FY27 budget strategy to the Board of Education, emphasizing an allocation priority toward classroom instruction and a compensation proposal that mixes recurring step increases with one-time payments funded from contingency.

Budget context and new revenue: the board was told the district expects roughly $4.8 million in new money from the state for the next fiscal year, an amount staff characterized as modest relative to district scale (about 4,000 employees and 23,000 students). "We are really looking at about 4.8 million dollars," said Dr. Comfort while walking trustees through the assumptions.

Fund balance and contingency: presenters reviewed a multi-year fund-balance history and reported the district remained well above board-policy minimums, noting an approximate $75 million contingency that has been intentionally drawn down in recent years to fund priorities. Staff said the available one-time funds create space for nonrecurring compensation and targeted investments but stressed recurring obligations require caution.

Compensation design: staff described a tiered approach that prioritizes staff closest to classroom instruction. The proposed package for school-facing groups was described as an overall 10% compensation increase (including a 3% recurring component and additional non-recurring elements), while central-office staff would receive a different mix emphasizing non-recurring payments. The presenters framed the plan as a strategy to improve competitiveness for teachers and school staff while balancing long-term sustainability.

Trade-offs and next steps: staff noted that a 1% change in salary structures can represent millions of dollars in aggregate and that the board will need to balance recurring and non-recurring components. Trustees indicated general support for sharing preliminary information with employees, provided messaging is careful to note board approval remains pending.

What happens next: staff will continue refining the FY27 proposal, present final budget documents for action in subsequent meetings and proceed with principal training and communications only after board direction. The board signaled it would consider formal approval in the special meeting portion of the evening.