School board votes to exceed revenue neutral rate amid taxpayer concerns

Board unanimously adopts fiscal year 2027 budget

Finance team outlines cost-saving measures to protect taxpayers

Board demands seat at the table for city tax abatements

"Warm, safe and dry" upgrades top facilities master plan

Private donation could fund completion of Topeka High "little theater"

Local businesses donate over 2,400 school supplies to students

School board votes to exceed revenue neutral rate amid taxpayer concerns

TOPEKA, Kan. — At its Sept. 3 meeting, the Topeka Public Schools Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution to exceed the state-mandated revenue neutral rate for the 2026-2027 fiscal year. The vote followed a public hearing where several local taxpayers expressed concerns over a proposed $6.6 million tax increase, pointing to inflation and the district's existing cash reserves. District officials defended the necessity of the increase, citing a $1.5 million hike in health insurance premiums, skyrocketing diesel fuel costs and significant utility rate hikes that outpace standard inflation.

Board unanimously adopts fiscal year 2027 budget

TOPEKA, Kan. — Following the revenue neutral rate hearing on Sept. 3, the board unanimously approved and adopted the district's fiscal year 2027 budget. The financial plan was crafted to navigate significant funding constraints, including the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds and a loss of city funding for school resource officers. Finance officials emphasized the district's lean operating structure, noting that the budget allocates roughly $1 million per working day to educate the district's students and maintain operations. The finalized financial plan encompasses a 33 percent local option budget and a 28 percent spending increase, driven in part by the need to bridge special education funding gaps.

Finance team outlines cost-saving measures to protect taxpayers

TOPEKA, Kan. — In response to public scrutiny over budget increases, the district's finance team outlined several internal cost-saving measures currently being implemented to protect taxpayers. Strategies include leaving certain business office positions vacant, stretching administrative staff to cover multiple roles across different buildings and moving district-level consulting teachers into classrooms to control class sizes. Officials noted these efficiencies are necessary to combat built-in contractual increases and ensure that 70 percent of the district's budget remains focused on essential personnel.

Board demands seat at the table for city tax abatements

TOPEKA, Kan. — Frustrated by lost property tax revenues, discussion during the meeting centered on utilizing the district's statutory veto power to block future city of Topeka tax increment financing and economic development projects if the district is not consulted earlier in the process. District finance officials reported that an estimated $1.4 million in potential property tax revenue is forgone by the school district annually due to various city-approved tax abatements. A desire was expressed for the city to establish continuity and give the school district an official seat at the table before developers are promised incentives that impact school funding.

"Warm, safe and dry" upgrades top facilities master plan

TOPEKA, Kan. — A shortlist of priorities to guide the district's upcoming 10-year facilities master plan was reviewed, placing the highest emphasis on urgent deferred maintenance for the district's 62 buildings. Core building systems — specifically roofs, HVAC, plumbing and electrical — topped the priority list to keep schools "warm, safe and dry." Other key priorities identified include securing a dedicated gymnasium for Robinson Middle School and addressing educational equity by modernizing older, inadequate buildings like Randolph Elementary School.

Private donation could fund completion of Topeka High "little theater"

TOPEKA, Kan. — A long-stalled project to build a small-scale theater at Topeka High School may soon see completion following a proposed donation from Build Our Little Theater Inc. It was announced that the foundation is willing to provide $250,000 to finish the facility, provided the district contributes roughly 10 percent of the project's total cost, or about $28,000, bringing the total remaining cost to approximately $278,000. District administration expressed enthusiastic support for moving forward with the private-public partnership, which would finally provide the school's theater students with a dedicated performance and dressing space.

Local businesses donate over 2,400 school supplies to students

TOPEKA, Kan. — Formal recognition was given to Kansas Secured Title and several local real estate and mortgage brokerages, including Stone & Story Real Estate Group, Genesis, LLC, Realtors, Envista Federal Credit Union, Community National Bank, Flat Branch Home Loans, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, Coldwell Banker American Home, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices First, REALTORS, and Open Door Kansas, for their seventh annual school supply drive, which netted 2,447 items for Topeka Public Schools students. The collaborative effort successfully filled an entire school bus with backpacks and supplies for children in need. The community initiative was praised for saving individual families up to $300 per student amid ongoing nationwide inflation.

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