Public input sought as District 191 begins developing 2026-27 budget

Over the course of the first months of 2026, District 191 will develop a budget for the 2026-27 school year.

As always, District 191 will take a values- and priorities-based approach to creating next year’s budget, including achieving the district’s Strategic Directions and its commitment to be a PreK-12 Pathways district. 

In a presentation to the School Board Dec. 11, the District outlined the upcoming budget process timeline and shared key factors that will affect the district's budget. These factors include:

• continued gaps in state and federal funding for special education and English Learner education,
• an expected decline in enrollment
• stable local tax revenue, thanks to voter-approved operating and technology levies,
• increase in state aid of 2.5% for general education
• uncertainty when it comes to certain types of revenue, including funding related to addressing specific student needs,
• a trend for smaller kindergarten classes in future years, as birth rates have declined.

Along with aligning spending toward the district's strategic plan, the district's goals include thinking long-term and ensuring the district's budget is sustainable.

Community members can help District 191 achieve its budget goals by providing their input into the budget process, sharing their priorities and ideas for how the district can be more efficient.

Learn more about next year's budget process and submit your input at www.isd191.org/budget.