![Important Budget Information - Shawnee Mission School District logo with district colors]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1774454762/smsdorg/p7stozpfezs1uji7pve2/BudgerInfo.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1774454762/smsdorg/p7stozpfezs1uji7pve2/BudgerInfo.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1774454762/smsdorg/p7stozpfezs1uji7pve2/BudgerInfo.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1774454762/smsdorg/p7stozpfezs1uji7pve2/BudgerInfo.jpg","width":833}])
During the Board Financial Report at the March 23 Board of Education Meeting, Superintendent Dr. Michael Schumacher outlined a series of financial considerations that will inform staffing for the 2026-2027 school year. Following a building needs assessment and ongoing evaluation of the budget, a decision was made to not implement any new requests for staffing in the 2026-2027 school year.
Dr. Schumacher outlined several budgetary considerations that factored into this decision. Declining enrollment and at-risk funding (a weighting included in the state finance formula) have had a significant, negative impact on funding this year. Additionally, the state has continued to not meet requirements for funding special education since the 2010-2011 school year. Click here to view the impact of special education funding loss on slides 4 and 5. For example, Shawnee Mission would have received $11,539,044 in additional state funding in the 2023-2024 school year if the state funded special education at its legal requirement of 92 percent of excess costs.
With these funding shortfalls in mind, leaders also kept several considerations at the forefront while making decisions: state funding formula changes anticipated in the future, Board policy to maintain a healthy level of fund balances and remain fiscally responsible, and the desire to continue sustaining any positions added in the district.
District leaders also have been planning the budget for next year. Following a building needs assessment, where school communities identify needs and make staff requests, there were 79.3 total requested full-time equivalent (FTE) employees ($6,500,000). Additionally, a large request came through a direct appeal from the community through a Strategic Plan Action Team, recommending 34 FTE elementary counselors ($3,026,000).
With all considerations in mind, Dr. Schumacher shared that district leaders made the decision to not add any of the new or recommended positions for the upcoming school year.
“This was very hard to do,” Schumacher expressed. “The topic of adding counselors is a very passionate topic, but hopefully our community can understand that while we want to add these positions and add counselors, we are not able to do that at this time.”
Dr. Schumacher said that these factors are not to put any group against another or place blame. However, he stated it highlights the importance of continuing to fight on behalf of all students in the Shawnee Mission School District. Click here to view the presentation slides.
In February, all Johnson County Superintendents shared a joint statement requesting the state fully fund special education at the legally required levels.
“In order to provide those services, despite the shortfall from the state and the federal government; Johnson County School Districts transfer $132,716,762 from the general fund, which provides services for all 95,000 students in Johnson County, to cover the shortfall created by not meeting the statutory requirement. The last time the Kansas Legislature fully funded special education at the statutory requirement of 92% of excess costs was during the 2010-2011 school year,” they noted. “Year over year, it is the same backwards slide that has resulted in where we are today. In essence, special education is fully funded, because our school districts are covering the shortfall out of general operating budgets. The general population of students is not fully funded and in fact, $1,400 from every student’s allocated amount of $5,378 is transferred to fully fund special education.
Click here to read their full statement.
Advocating for the state to fully fund Special Education is a priority listed in the Board of Education’s legislative platform. While federal and state governments require the provision of special education services, SMSD must reduce other services to pay for special education. Unreimbursed special education costs impact ALL students, as students with an IEP are general education students first, and spend most of their time in the general education classroom.”
