Budget Process

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. 

Strategies for Building a Structurally Sustainable Budget

1. Prioritize investment for instructional priorities, including PK-12 Pathways
2. Maintain current class size parameters (Enrollment Rightsizing)
3. Use of restricted funds before general undesignated funds
4. Understand ebb and flow of revenue streams and expenses
5. Strategic use of federal resources to accelerate learning post pandemic and to position budget for sustainable programming once funds end

Initial budget proposal

District 191 Superintendent Dr. Theresa Battle presented her initial budget proposal for the 2023-24 school year to the Board of Education at its March 23 meeting. 

Calling for a cautious approach to an improved financial picture, Battle proposed $142 million in general fund spending against expected revenue of $149 million. The resulting $7 million surplus would build the district’s fund balance to provide stability after federal pandemic relief funds are exhausted. 

Highlights of the proposed budget include:

• Create a Director of Equity position to oversee English Learner and equity programming, eliminating English Learner Coordinator position to offset the budget
• Add a counselor position to support Virtual Academy grades 6-12 and the new Associate of Arts degree Pathway
• Add middle school volleyball
• Add 4 elementary teacher positions to coordinate student services, including to address disproportionality of student behavior and learning results
• Add social worker to support Virtual Academy and Burnsville Alternative High School

In addition, the proposed budget would keep in place positions and programs paid for by more than $4 million in federal pandemic relief funds, including middle school math interventionists, high school credit recovery teachers, free summer enrichment programming, reduced class sizes in kindergarten through second grade, and more.

See the detailed list of proposed budget adjustments and the full budget presentation.

Feedback

District 191 collected feedback on the proposed budget between March 23 and May 15. Results of that feedback will be shared with the Board at it's May 25 meeting.