GIPS Board Brief September 28, 2026

The Grand Island Public Schools "Board Brief" is an online monthly publication sharing the Board of Education meeting highlights, updates, campus recognitions, and more.

Here's a recap of the Special Meeting to vote on the 2026-27 Fiscal Year budget.

• Special Meeting Agenda
• Video Stream
• Carlos Barcenas, Eric Garcia-Mendez, Tracy Goodman, & Josh Hawley were not present but gave prior notice.

Mr. Virgil Harden, GIPS CFO, shared a brief overview of the budget work for the upcoming fiscal year.

In his presentation, Mr. Harden discussed the decrease in State Aid the district experienced this year, the ongoing inflation of goods, and the continued commitment GIPS has of supporting staff with competitive pay and benefits.

Here are a few notable highlights for the GIPS Budget for the 2026-27 school year:

• GIPS is faced with the fact that support from the State of Nebraska via the TEEOSA (Tax Equalization and Educational Opportunities Support Act) state aid formula decreases $12,0000,000.00 from the 2025-2026 school year for the 2026 – 2027 school year. This decrease was due to both a one-time error correction by the NDE of $3million due to a Poverty Allowance calculation error and general lower funding due to the normal functioning of the formula.
  
  
• GIPS made the hard decisions to reduce spending by approximately $4 million dollars in the 2024-2025 school year in anticipation of the reduced funding due to decreased enrollment. However, we could not and did not anticipate the $3 million dollar Poverty Allowance calculation error made by NDE.
  
  
• GIPS uses a yearlong budgeting process as outlines in our annual adoption of that calendar and culminates with the passage of the budget and levy by the Board of Education. The purpose of tonight’s special meeting of the Board of Education is to approve the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget and levy.
  
  
• As part of our annual budgeting process Grand Island Public Schools annually conducts a budget workshop for the Board of Education where we review details about changes to all funds operated by the district, which include the following: General, Depreciation, Employee Benefit, Contingency, Activities, School Nutrition, Bond, Special Building, Qualified, and Cooperative funds.
  
  
• Grand Island Public Schools, like all Nebraska school districts, face ever increasing costs due to many factors including but not limited to; Negotiations with GIEA (Grand Island Education Association, along with raises for both Classified and Administrative employees.
  
  
• Moreover, decrease supply of qualified certified staff and other positions like nurses, counselors, therapists, and even trades professional like plumbers and electricians increase our operating costs. Along with extreme increases in delivery fees for goods purchased by the district. Overall inflation, and support of the Nutrition Services are also contributing factors.
  
  
• About 80% of our General Fund continues to be dedicated to staffing.
  
  
• GIPS cash reserves are in a healthy position.

Hear Mr. Harden's full presentation HERE.

Be sure to explore our budget resources on our district website!

Available are a message from Superintendent Mr. Fisher, an overview of the Budget Workshop presentation, and resources from last year's budget process as well.

You will also be able to find a snapshot of our financial overview from the last three years through our Annual Report publications.

We will update the www.GIPS.org/Budget page with more resources as the year progresses.

A message from Superintendent Matt Fisher:

Officially moving out of the summer season and into the fall season is a sure indicator that the school budget season is also wrapping up. The fiscal year for schools in Nebraska runs from September 1st through August 31st. When the finances for one year are closed out it is critical that the budget for the year ahead be set in place.

On September 21st the Grand Island Public Schools Board of Education held their annual budget workshop. At this meeting they reviewed the current financial position of the district. They considered current and future needs, and discussed what funding needed to be included in the budget for the 2026 - 27 school year.

CLICK HERE to read the full message.

GIPS hosted its annual Budget Workshop with the Board of Education on September 21st, 2026. The workshop was open to the public and provided the Board and the community with an opportunity to review the updated budget for the upcoming school year.

After the hour long workshop, the Board of Education then held a Budget Hearing before the regular Board meeting that same evening (Sept. 21st). Chief Financial Officer, Virgil Harden, shared a brief update on the budget and invite members of the public to share feedback, concern, or questions.

There were no requests from the public to speak before the Board regarding the budget.

Motion Passed: 5 - 0

Levy Resolution updates were featured as part of the Annual Budget Workshop and the Budget Hearing.

There were no requests from the public to speak before the Board regarding the Levy Resolution.

Motion Passed: 5 - 0