The Mehlville School District’s Board of Education adopted its budget for the 2026-2027 school year at its meeting on June 25.
According to the approved budget, the percentage of Mehlville’s cash reserve will decline from last school year to the upcoming, going from 30.2% to 29.7% of the operating fund. Mehlville Chief Communications Officer Jessica Pupillo says that, as of June 30, the district’s estimated cash reserve is $42,500,000.
“Our goal is to maintain a 30% cash reserve balance,” Pupillo said. “Healthy cash reserves a) avoid the need for short-term borrowing when cash is the lowest in November, and b) enables flexibility to avoid immediate budget cuts when government funding suddenly changes or unexpected emergencies arise, such as (COVID-19).”
The district’s revenue is expected to be $172,566,000 for the upcoming fiscal year — an over $3 million decrease from last year’s forecast, which was $175,701,000. Total expenditures, however, are budgeted to go up. Last year, the expense forecast was set for $175,859,000, and this year, the district is budgeting for $189,683,000 in expenses. That’s a 7.9% increase.
Overall, district salaries increased by 3.2%, which “encompasses returning staff raises, replacing retired staff, adding two social workers and overlapping staff for transition training.” Certified teacher raises are 3.9% for returning staff; hourly non-certified returning staff will receive 3.7% raises; returning administrative staff will receive 3% raises.
The estimated annual cost for “recurring capital items” — things like buses, non-bus vehicles, roofing, parking lot asphalt, and IT equipment — is $2,500,000. The revenue from Mehlville’s Proposition A tax levy, which passed in November, will cover approximately $1,500,000 of that expense.
