Garfield Re-2 School Board passes 25-26 budget

The Garfield Re-2 Board of Education approved the district’s FY2025-26 budget Tuesday night, reinforcing its commitment to staff while strategically reducing projected deficit spending.

The $88.99 million budget comprises a $72.48 million general fund, a $2.4 million food service fund, a $1.9 million grants fund, a $1.1 million student activity fund, a $2 million Capital Reserve fund, and a $9 million bond redemption fund. Of the $70.6 million in anticipated revenue, 62% comes from the State, while 25% comes from local property taxes. The remainder is derived from Specific Ownership taxes on vehicle sales, Federal grants, and other State sources.

The adopted 2025-26 general fund budget represents a 2.6% increase over the current year, including a 2.2% increase in salaries and an 8% increase in benefits for staff. Despite these investments in staff, Garfield Re-2 improved the budgeted deficit this year by over $150,000 to  $2.07 million but is decreasing the shortfall even more for the 2025-26 school year. 

“We are working hard to return to a balanced budget,” said Director of Finance Jason Lynch. “We made a conscious decision to prioritize our people—our teachers, bus drivers, custodians, support staff—and that commitment shows in this budget.”

The district maintains a solid projected fund balance of just over $20 million, eight million of which is required by policy in the event of a significant incident. The projected deficit for the 2025-26 school year is $1.85 million.

While state funding for 25-26 is expected to increase modestly, the largest cost pressure for the coming year is the growth in contracted special education service providers. Those services accounted for a $720,000 overrun in the current year and are expected to continue rising.

“Meeting the needs of our students is non-negotiable,” Lynch added. “We’re doing everything we can to cut costs elsewhere—tightening supply budgets, limiting growth in other areas—so we can continue to take care of our people and meet our legal obligations.”

Lynch noted that strategic reductions in vacancies and cost containment in non-salary spending have helped offset increased personnel costs.

Garfield Re-2’s long-term strategy includes continued investment in staff, transparency about financial decisions, and working toward a structurally balanced budget without compromising classroom services.

The 2025-26 budget is available on the Garfield Re-2 website at https://garfieldre2net.finalsite.com/departments/finance/financial-transparency