Beyond the Bell: Budget Update, Trustee Elections, What Students Have to Say, and Community Input Needed

During their May 28th, 2026 Board Workshop, Trustees reviewed the proposed 2026 - 2027 Budget. The proposal reflects a year of careful decision-making as we’ve worked to balance rising costs, declining enrollment, and virtually flat state funding while continuing to prioritize student learning. The proposed budget will also keep local funding through our Maintenance & Operations levy at the current level.

The proposed General Fund budget totals $350.3 million, a slight decrease from the current year. While overall spending is being reduced, many of the costs associated with operating schools continue to rise, including transportation, utilities, insurance, safety and security, maintenance, and employee health insurance. 

To address these challenges, we made a number of targeted reductions and efficiency measures, including reductions in travel budgets, equipment purchases, administrative spending, and other operational expenses. Several district-level positions were eliminated, and staffing adjustments were made to align with declining enrollment.  

Even in a tight budget year, we continued to prioritize direct support for students. The proposed budget adds staff in special education programs, expands support for students with disabilities, maintains gifted and talented services, and preserves funding for classroom instruction, which continues to account for nearly 58% of General Fund expenditures. Investments also remain focused on student safety, transportation, curriculum, and academic support programs.

While the financial outlook remains challenging, the proposed budget reflects our commitment to directing available resources where they have the greatest impact—supporting students, classrooms, and schools while maintaining long-term fiscal stability.

The complete budget proposal is available for review.. The Board of Trustees will vote on the proposed budget during their regularly scheduled Board meeting at 6:00 p.m., June 8th, 2026 at the District Services Center. Public comment will be taken at that time and residents are also encouraged to submit written comments to trustees@boiseschools.org. 

Our comprehensive Facilities Master Planning process, designed to create a long-term roadmap for our school facilities, is well underway. This effort will help guide future decisions about improving facility conditions, aligning enrollment with building capacity, and creating learning environments that support both current and future educational programs.

To help guide the discussion, we have prepared a State of the Schools Report that includes enrollment trends, facility conditions, and other data that will help inform this planning process.

As part of this public process, we are seeking feedback from our staff, families, students, and community members. Your input is important and will help inform recommendations and future decisions regarding district facilities.

Following a review of the State of the Schools Report, please take a few minutes to complete our Facilities Master Planning Survey and share your thoughts about the future of Boise School District schools and facilities. 

Take the Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/bsdframework

Thank you for helping us plan for the future and ensure our schools continue to provide high-quality learning environments that support student success for years to come.

Boise School District community members interested in serving on the Boise School Board — or helping support the upcoming election — can now find important dates, candidate information, absentee ballot details, and volunteer opportunities on the District’s 2026 Trustee Election webpage.

Learn more about candidate qualifications, absentee voting, important deadlines, and how to get involved by visiting the District’s full 2026 Trustee Election information page.

Every year, we conduct student focus groups at each of our secondary schools to better understand students' experiences, what helps them succeed, and where they see opportunities for improvement. This year, nearly 20 students from each school participated, representing a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.

Across the district, students consistently identified strong relationships with teachers as one of the most important factors in their success. Students shared that they feel most connected when teachers are approachable, supportive, and take time to understand them as individuals. They also highlighted the value of engaging lessons, meaningful feedback, and learning experiences that connect classroom content to the real world.

When asked about academic success, students described it as more than just earning good grades. Many emphasized personal growth, confidence, understanding concepts deeply, and becoming more independent learners. Students also identified teachers, peers, counselors, tutoring programs, and structured support times as some of the most valuable resources available to them.

Students shared a desire for additional opportunities to receive academic support during the school day, clearer learning expectations, and more consistent access to tutoring and reteaching when they need it. They also emphasized the importance of belonging and connection, expressing interest in more opportunities to build relationships, participate in activities, and access to student well-being  support.

Overall, the focus groups reinforced many of our ongoing priorities: creating engaging learning experiences, building strong relationships, ensuring students understand what they are learning and why it matters, and providing meaningful support when challenges arise. Most importantly, the conversations provided valuable insight into what helps students feel connected, confident, engaged, and successful in school.

Our recorded version of our recent parent engagement presentation on Standards-Based Reporting (SBR) is now available.

In the video, district leaders Robb Thompson, Rebecca Severson, and Becca Anderson explain why the Boise School District is transitioning to Standards-Based Reporting, what the new reporting scales mean, and how this approach will provide clearer information about student learning and progress.

The presentation also covers:

To learn more about Standards Based Reporting, including brief videos from our staff, FAQs, and contact information please visit our Standards-Based Reporting webpage.