New SJSD budget reflects updated priorities
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- In the middle of funding challenges for school districts throughout the country, the St. Joseph School District approved its 2025-2026 fiscal year budget in its June 23 meeting.
The Board of Education unanimously approved its nearly $170 million working budget for the 2025-26 academic year, reflecting only a 2.2% increase from the previous year overall.
Retiring Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations, Dr. Robert Sigrist, said the goal was to present a conservative budget that recognizes the possibility of cuts in state and federal revenue.
"We tried to be very conservative," Sigrist said. "We went in most areas below what DESE's (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) estimate was for state funding."
Given the $3.1 million deficit left over from last year's budget, the SJSD will transfer about $5.1 million from the operating fund to carry over into the new year. Noticeable cuts in outlay for building expenditures and new construction kept numbers relatively low, with Sigrist citing the completion of bond-funded projects in the previous fiscal year.
"This past year, we had a lot of bond projects going on," Sigrist said. "That included the HVAC project at Central. There will still be some bond projects in this coming year, but much of the $20 million bond project money from 2024 was spent in this past year."
Notable increases in projected spending in faculty and staff recruitment and placement, reflecting the ongoing staffing needs for the district. The amount will increase from about $198,000 to about $659,000 for this coming fiscal year.
"We budgeted more for our 'Grow Your Own' program," Sigrist said. "This will help staff that may be interested in becoming teachers or other certified workers by providing scholarships and incentives."
In the June 2025 meeting, school administrators noted crucial openings for teachers and staff as the district moves into the new school year.
Enrollment is also expected to be down slightly for 2025-2026. Sigrist said federal funding accounted for about 10% of the SJSD budget for the previous academic year, and the district is prepared to adjust as needed while maintaining a goal of working toward a zero-based budget in the future.
As far as revenue, the district expects slight decreases in local and county revenue sources, an approximate $2 million decrease in federal sources, and about a $ 5 million increase in state sources of funding.
For a full layout of the entire school budget for 2025-2026, visit the SJSD School Board website.
