ESSD Board Sets FY2026 Budget, Revamps Career Ladder, and Says Farewell to Tomlinson

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — The Excelsior Springs Board of Education approved the district’s $41.2 million budget for fiscal year 2026, adopted updates to the teacher career ladder program, and recognized outgoing superintendent Dr. Jaret Tomlinson during a 90-minute regular meeting held Tuesday, June 24.

Budget Approved Amid Revenue Declines and Rising Costs

The FY2026 budget includes a projected deficit of approximately $2.4 million, reflecting a combination of declining enrollment, rising operating costs, and the expiration of interest earnings from past bond investments. Superintendent Dr. Jaret Tomlinson told the board that while the budget is tight, the district remains in a stable financial position with healthy reserves above 20%.

“We are financially sound, but we’re entering a lean period,” Tomlinson said. “Our expenditures continue to increase faster than our revenues… enrollment trends are not in our favor.”

The board voted to approve the budget along with:

• A salary step increase for all eligible staff

• Updated 2025–26 salary schedules for certified, classified, administrative, and PAT/technology employees

• Amendments to the FY2025 budget to reflect actual year-end revenues and expenditures

• Authorization to close out the fiscal year, allowing staff to process expenses through June 30

Board members expressed concern about conservative revenue projections, especially regarding local and county tax revenues. Board member Traci White abstained from the final vote, citing inconsistencies between district forecasts and data from the county auditor’s office.

Incoming Superintendent Dr. Mark Bullimore, who will assume the role on July 1, acknowledged the challenges but assured the board that quarterly updates and adjustments would be made throughout the year.

“This is a working budget,” Bullimore said. “There are many unknowns, from state appropriations to assessed valuation. We’ll continue to adjust and be transparent.”

Career Ladder Revisions Offer Flexibility for Teachers

The board also approved revisions to the district’s Career Ladder Plan, which allows teachers to receive stipends for work done outside of contract hours. The changes followed months of work by a teacher-led committee and included:

• Allowing up to 30% of Career Ladder hours to come from volunteer coaching or sponsorship roles, provided no stipend positions are unfilled

• Adjusting the tutoring requirement to allow more flexibility for non-academic student programs, like clubs and student wellness groups

• Capping unofficial mentoring at 10 reimbursable hours to preserve equity with teachers serving as official mentors

• Increasing allowable hours for completing LETRS (literacy) training modules from 20 to 50

Board Member Jill Evert, who served as the board liaison to the Career Ladder Committee, praised the collaboration and attention to equity.

“The teachers really took ownership of this process,” Evert said. “They listened to feedback across buildings and made thoughtful revisions that preserve the spirit of the program.”

Board members discussed teacher concerns about time-consuming state-required training videos and the increasing demands placed on veteran staff who support new hires. Administrators noted that while Career Ladder cannot compensate for mandatory training, they would look for additional ways to ease the burden.

The Career Ladder program is funded in part by the state and remains contingent upon the governor’s final budget approval.

Resignations Continue Upward Trend

The board approved seven additional staff resignations during the meeting, bringing the total for the 2024–2025 school year to 43, the highest total since 2022. The employees leaving include certified teachers, classified staff, and an extracurricular coach.

Yearly resignation totals over the past five years include:

• 2020: 17
• 2021: 30
• 2022: 44
• 2023: 28
• 2024: 40
• 2025: 43 (as of June)

Recognition of Students and Leadership

Dr. Bullimore recognized the 2025 recipients of the district’s memorial scholarships, which honor the legacy of former students and educators by awarding graduating seniors for academic achievement, service, and leadership. The board also celebrated the district’s athletes of the year for outstanding performance across multiple sports.