Building & Becoming: A budget recommendation prioritizing instruction, responding to identified needs

One91 Community,

On Thursday, March 12, I presented my recommendation and vision for the 2026-27 budget. As much as anything else we do, a budget reflects the school district's values and intentions. With this being my first year as superintendent, I feel that truth keenly, and I want to ensure you understand what this budget recommendation means and how it came to be.

I grounded my recommendations in what I heard during the Listen & Learn sessions, as well as what I’ve learned about One91 through school and program visits and conversations with staff and families over the past eight months. In those conversations, which involved many of you, I heard a few key themes, including:

• Pride in our diversity and commitment to being inclusive schools,
• Providing clarity when it comes to district priorities and systems,
• Improving systems for supporting students, starting with high-quality, evidence-based instruction,
• Creating a culture of belief in all students, and a climate that is supportive and holds students to high standards,
• Addressing safety needs, especially when it comes to our facilities.

We'll address these themes in multiple ways. For instance, we're already moving forward with some safety improvements at schools, including installing fencing for school playgrounds and piloting a new school entrance model that provides additional security.

The 2026-27 budget recommendation is also a response to those identified needs, while at the same time addressing a budget shortfall by reducing spending by $4 million. I invite you to watch the full presentation (link to board meeting) for more details, but here are some highlights:

• Reorganizing district leadership around Special Education, Student Supports and Instruction to create clearer, more aligned systems.
• Removing a layer between the district and school to promote more integrated systems and better communication.
• Shifting resources from the district office to schools; prioritizing high-quality, evidence-based instruction in every classroom.
• Maximizing the use of various funding sources to protect instruction and programs.
• Rightsizing staffing to match enrollment projections and maintain class sizes.

My intention is to build a system that best serves all our students. I truly believe we can become the shining star our community, families, students, and all of you deserve, and I’m hopeful that we are moving in the right direction together.

You can see more details and if you have questions or would like to offer feedback, you can do so through the online feedback form at www.isd191.org/budget.

In closing, I am grateful for the unity, resilience, and unwavering commitment that define One91. We are at our strongest when we move together, and I believe deeply in the collective power of this community to create the schools our students deserve. Thank you so much for being a partner in this work and for being part of the One91 Community.

Dr. Latanya Daniels

Superintendent