CHAMPAIGN — The Champaign Unit 4 School District is planning to potentially spend $10 million more this year than it will take in.
The Board of Education voted Monday to approve a budget of $197 million for the school district to operate through the fiscal year ending in June 2027, with only $187 million of revenue coming into the district.
“This is the worst-case scenario for the district. We don’t anticipate it being that bad,” said Unit 4 Chief Business Officer Ray Toliver Jr. “We do want to account for anything that can transpire that we are not aware of.”
Toliver told the school board that includes emergencies like pipes bursting at multiple schools.
Toliver joined Unit 4 in July. He said he is looking into ways to save the district money.
One way to save money could be adjusting health insurance plans. Toliver said 15% of the district’s budget goes into benefits for employees, and there may be ways to reduce that.
He has also asked schools to use Unit 4’s food service more instead of vendors, which is an additional cost. Tolvar is hoping there may be a way to simplify Unit 4’s transportation system as well.
The Board of Education voted unanimously in favor of the budget. Before doing so, members asked how the administration is evaluating:
- What should be cut from budget
- Whether there is money for bulletproof glass at Booker T. Washington STEM Academy
- How to communicate to the public when grants end
- How to make the budget tighter
- What is driving up the health insurance costs