Lewis‑Palmer D38 adopts $94.1 million 2026-27 budget, isolates $1.3 million PPR variance as one-time
June 22, 2026 | Lewis-Palmer Consolidated School District No. 38 i, School Districts , Colorado
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The Lewis‑Palmer Consolidated School District No. 38 board unanimously adopted the district s 2026-27 annual budget and appropriation resolution on June 22, approving a total revenue package of $94.1 million and directing district staff to treat a $1.3 million PPR (per-pupil revenue) increase from the recently passed School Finance Act as one-time contingency.
"We start with $94.1 million total budget," Brett Ridgeway, the district s chief business officer, told the board during his half-hour presentation. He said about 74% of total revenue comes through the School Finance Act and that the $1.3 million variance from the final state legislation is being held in contingency until the district can confirm its sustainability in fall and winter revenue forecasts.
Ridgeway and other staff described several cost-containment and revenue-allocation choices behind the adopted figures: a move to a self-funded health plan that staff said avoided an estimated $750,000 increase in insurance costs, a staffing "right-sizing" effort (approximately 35 fewer regular employees carried into 2026-27), and an average across-the-district pay change of 2.03 percent. Ridgeway said those measures together accommodated the budgeted pay change while responding to an anticipated enrollment decline used in state funding calculations.
Board members stressed caution about the durability of the state PPR increase. Ridgeway said the district will monitor the state s October and December revenue forecasts before deciding whether to convert any of the $1.3 million contingency into recurring spending such as salaries.
The resolution the board adopted cites CRS 22-44-105 as the statutory basis for the appropriation. The motion to adopt passed by roll-call vote with board members recorded as voting in favor.
The board also heard Ridgeway s breakdowns of revenue types and spend categories: local taxes and state revenue were the largest contributors to the district s funding, charter-school obligations (Monument Academy) were called out for their share of the mill-levy override, and operated-school local-control revenue was shown to be heavily concentrated in compensation (district figures indicated roughly 83.7% of operated-school local-control dollars go to compensation).
The board signaled the budget will be revisited if new state revenue forecasts warrant changes; next procedural steps include monitoring the state s quarterly forecasts and proceeding with the district s normal fiscal-year start on July 1, 2026.
"We start with $94.1 million total budget," Brett Ridgeway, the district s chief business officer, told the board during his half-hour presentation. He said about 74% of total revenue comes through the School Finance Act and that the $1.3 million variance from the final state legislation is being held in contingency until the district can confirm its sustainability in fall and winter revenue forecasts.
Ridgeway and other staff described several cost-containment and revenue-allocation choices behind the adopted figures: a move to a self-funded health plan that staff said avoided an estimated $750,000 increase in insurance costs, a staffing "right-sizing" effort (approximately 35 fewer regular employees carried into 2026-27), and an average across-the-district pay change of 2.03 percent. Ridgeway said those measures together accommodated the budgeted pay change while responding to an anticipated enrollment decline used in state funding calculations.
Board members stressed caution about the durability of the state PPR increase. Ridgeway said the district will monitor the state s October and December revenue forecasts before deciding whether to convert any of the $1.3 million contingency into recurring spending such as salaries.
The resolution the board adopted cites CRS 22-44-105 as the statutory basis for the appropriation. The motion to adopt passed by roll-call vote with board members recorded as voting in favor.
The board also heard Ridgeway s breakdowns of revenue types and spend categories: local taxes and state revenue were the largest contributors to the district s funding, charter-school obligations (Monument Academy) were called out for their share of the mill-levy override, and operated-school local-control revenue was shown to be heavily concentrated in compensation (district figures indicated roughly 83.7% of operated-school local-control dollars go to compensation).
The board signaled the budget will be revisited if new state revenue forecasts warrant changes; next procedural steps include monitoring the state s quarterly forecasts and proceeding with the district s normal fiscal-year start on July 1, 2026.
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