The Parkland School Board voted unanimously June 16 to approve the 2026-27 general fund budget, acknowledging harsh financial realities and difficult cuts.

The vote came after about a dozen school bus drivers protested proposed cuts to after-school activity buses, holding signs inside the meeting.

Board President David Hein said the spending plan, which includes a 3.5% tax increase, maintains essential programs and services but is “the most difficult in 13 years on the board.”

The budget projects $261,667,935 in expenditures and sets the real estate tax rate at 18.42 mills ($1.8420 per $100 of assessed value). It includes the district’s maximum allowable Act 1 index increase of 3.5% for 2026-27. District officials said the increase is driven by a structural deficit, slowing growth in assessed property values and new debt tied to the high school renovation and expansion project.

Officials said major cost drivers include employee salaries and benefits, along with unfunded mandates, particularly for special education services and cyber and charter school tuition and transportation. Rising gas and electricity costs also contribute.

Board Vice President Chris Pirrotta called the district’s financial situation “dire” and stressed the need for difficult decisions.

“I don’t want to be in a position to raise taxes, ever,” he said. “If we don’t fix this problem, we’re insolvent in a few years.”

The district’s five-year outlook shows a growing structural deficit if trends continue. Expenditures are projected to increase from $261.7 million in 2026-27 to $321.7 million by 2031-32, while revenues — even with continued tax increases — are expected to reach only $307.3 million.

One of the most controversial cuts is the elimination of after-school activity buses, which board members described as “heartbreaking” and “heart-wrenching.”

Mary Allen, speaking on behalf of district bus drivers, urged the board to keep the routes, citing the impact on students and families.

“Many of these students depend on these buses to participate in sports, music practice, tutoring and many other activities,” she said. “Without these buses, many would not be able to participate.”

Allen said some students live in group homes, hotels or households where both parents work and cannot provide transportation. Without the buses, she said, students may have to walk unsafe routes or miss out on activities altogether.

“Is it fair for students to be excluded because they don’t have their own transportation available?” she asked.

Board members said the decision could be revisited if the effects prove too detrimental.

Other reductions include leaving vacant positions unfilled after retirements, saving about $2.4 million, Pirrotta said. “That’s going to hurt our kids,” he added. “But unless we make these cuts, we have literally no other course of action because we are mandated by the state to spend this money.”

Superintendent Dr. Mark Madson also said the district will not pursue a partnership tied to a proposed Eli Lilly pharmaceutical manufacturing plant near Fogelsville. The company had sought district participation in a 10-year tax abatement program under the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance (LERTA) program.

“This decision reflects the financial realities of the district,” Hein said.