Saline School Board Approves Cautious Budget Projections

The Saline Area Schools Board of Education approved the final amended budget for 25-26 and the budget for 26-27 at Tuesday's meeting.

Miranda Owsley, Assistant Superintendent of Finance, for the district presented the budget during a special meeting before the regular meeting.

The final budget for the most recent school year finished at $84,329,294 - more than $10 million more than last year's $73,975,500. Salaries, 51 percent of spending, increased from $37,477,49 to $42,056,301. Benefits, 35 percent of spending, increased from $26,621,316 to $29,359,276. Purchased services, which include utilities, increased from $6,055,135 to $6,813,227.

The district spent $2,140,985 more than it took in. The fund balance dipped from $22,386,200 to $20,245,215. It's still more than twice as high as it was in 2021.

Owsley crafted the budget using many estimates since the state budget hasn't been locked in. Despite district enrollment showing a trend toward increasing, Owsley conservatively budgeted for an overall loss of 10 students. Still, with the Executive, House and Senate all prognosticating that per-pupil funding will increase by $250 to $10,300, overall revenue is expected to stay around $82 million. There are some one-time sources the district received last year or revenue would be higher.

There are labor costs that will be partially offset by a reduction in the retirement rate the district must pay the state. Overall spending is expected to be around $82 million, while expenditures are budgeted at $87.7 million. If those projections hold, the district would face a $5.5 million deficit, and the fund balance would fall from $20.2 million to $14.7 million.

Early 27-28 projections call for an additional $2 million revenue to $84.2 million and spending increasing almost $2 million to $89.5 million, which would lead to another $5.3 million deficit and the fund balance falling to $9.4 million - which would be the lowest level since 2021. But, again, the district tends to project conservatively.

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