Proposed $4.5 million transfer would support meals, buses and student activities

What happened

The district is proposing $4.5 million in FY26 transfers to support food service, transportation and student activities; the item is on the Oct. 27 agenda for final reading, so this packet does not establish approval. The plan allocates $2 million each to food service and transportation and $500,000 to activities and athletics, without increasing municipal tax appropriations.

Why it matters to families

The transfers are intended to address a negative transportation fund balance and recurring food-service losses, while helping keep universal breakfast, affordable meals and student extracurricular travel available. The proposed reallocation also responds to rising fuel, transportation-contract and food costs.

The evidence

The Oct. 27 board packet (pp. 92–94) reports a preliminary FY26 transportation ending deficit of $35,585 and a food-service operating loss of about $494,458. It recommends $2 million for each of those funds and $500,000 for student activities/athletics, totaling $4.5 million, before FY26 audit closeout. The agenda labels the action final reading; the packet describes adoption as pending.

The source