The Douglas County School District approved a $957 million budget Tuesday that district leaders said boosts employee compensation and maintains school funding stability despite declining enrollment and limited increases in state funding.
The 2026-27 budget increases expenditures and transfers by nearly $2 million compared with the district’s revised budget for the current fiscal year. Still, officials project a $22 million shortfall by the 2027-28 school year, driven in part by a statewide budget gap estimated at more than $1.2 billion.
District officials said the current budget gap will be partially covered through a one-time drawdown of the district’s general fund, reducing reserves to pre-pandemic levels. Leaders warned the strategy is temporary and could require more significant cuts next year…