Title 2025-26 Preliminary Budget.pdf ✅

1 School District Mission Educate and inspire each student by providing innovative opportunities to create lifelong success! Board of Education Michelle Brekken Director David Dondelinger Clerk Stephanie Etterman Director Randy Heidmann Vice Chair Sarah Speer Chair John Ward Treasurer Administration Peter Grant Interim Superintendent Marci Lord Director of Business Services Buildings Kindergarten – Grade 4 Baxter Elementary School Garfield Elementary School Harrison Elementary School Lowell Elementary School Nisswa Elementary School Riverside Elementary School Grades 5 – 8 Forestview Middle School Grades 9 – 12 Brainerd High School Alternative and Early Education Brainerd Learning Center Lincoln Education Center Warrior Early Learning Center Washington Educational Services Building
2 Introduction Brainerd Public Schools is located in central Minnesota in Crow Wing County and covers approximately 517 square miles. It serves approximately 5,900 early childhood through 12th grade students on a student resident base of approximately 6,500 in the communities of Brainerd, Baxter, East Gull Lake, Fort Ripley, Garrison, Lake Shore, Merrifield, and Nisswa. Of the 327 school districts in the state of Minnesota, Brainerd Public Schools is the 34th largest school district in the state and is the sixth largest school district outside of the seven- county Twin Cities metro area based on 2023-24 student enrollment. The school district’s 2024-25 student population composition reflects a lower level of overall diversity versus the state average with the exception of American Indian. However, the school district serves a higher concentration of students requiring special education services. The most significant fund for the operation of the school district is the General Fund (Fund 01). The school district uses the General Fund to cover the daily costs of educating students across its twelve schools. Budget Fundamentals Brainerd Public Schools operates a fiscal year from July 1-June 30. The preliminary budget is presented for approval to the school board each June. Minnesota school districts, charter schools, cooperative districts, area learning centers, private alternative schools, and non- public schools are required by law to submit financial reports and annual budgets. These financial reports include the detailed tracking of revenues and expenditures within Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting Standards (UFARS) fund classifications to meet legislative requirements for school districts and provide financial accountability for public fund allocations. The preliminary budget authorizes the school district to begin fiscal operations for the year. The mechanics of the budgets being presented for each of the funds is the same. The total revenue and expenditure numbers from each fund’s recent fiscal year 2025 budget revision completed in March 2025 is adjusted for items in which are known or expected to change for fiscal year 2026. There are many tools available to complete as accurate of projections as possible. These tools include Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) supported revenue forecast models and independent and locally designed and supported forecast models. Ethnicity Brainerd State American Indian 3.80% 3.55% Asian 0.58% 7.11% Black or African American 1.17% 12.13% Hispanic or Latino 2.58% 11.57% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.05% 0.12% Other Indigenous Peoples 0.03% 0.07% White 87.88% 60.22% Two or More Races 3.92% 5.22% Special Population Brainerd State Free or Reduced 40.19% 40.31% Special Education 24.02% 19.05% English Learner 0.56% 10.4% Experiencing Homelessness 0.41% 1.22% Source: MDE