Board seeks $1.94 million in state spending authority for special-education deficit

What happened

The board approved seeking $1,935,576.96 in supplemental spending authority from Iowa’s School Budget Review Committee to cover the district’s FY26 negative special-education balance. The deficit was about $140,000 lower than the previous year, and the presentation attributed the continued gap in part to state funding that has not kept pace with inflation.

Why it matters to families

The authority would allow the district to cover special-education costs beyond the funding available for the year, including services tied to students’ IEPs.

The evidence

At 00:55:37–00:55:53, the presentation gives the FY26 special-education deficit as just over $1.9 million and says it declined by about $140,000. At 01:05:49–01:06:29, the board votes to seek supplemental spending authority for $1,935,576.96 from the School Budget Review Committee.

The source