FRANKFORT, Ind. (September 17, 2025) – The Community Schools of Frankfort (CSF) School Board met Tuesday, for a public hearing to address its proposed 2026 budget and teacher salaries, signaling a pivotal moment for the district amidst anticipated enrollment declines and financial adjustments.
Scott Weltz, Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations for the Community Schools of Frankfort, presented an overview of the 2026 budget, noting that comprehensive documents including the capital projects plan and bus replacement plan resolutions are available on the district’s website.
Budget Highlights and Financial Challenges
The district’s 2026 budget projects a $1 million deficit across all four funds, primarily in the education and operations funds, necessitating the use of cash balances. This comes as the district grapples with a significant estimated property tax cap loss (circuit breaker) of $1.8 million in 2026, an increase from $1.4 million in 2025, which includes a new supplemental homestead reduction.
Key financial considerations include:
Enrollment: The projected enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is 2,851 students, an 86-student drop from the previous year. The actual count as of the presentation date was 2,812, a decrease of 126 students from the state’s prior count. The official count will take place October 1st. This decline directly impacts the education fund’s revenue, which relies on state funding of $7,643.49 per student.
Tax Rates: Initially, the district anticipated an increase in tax rates for the operations, debt service, and referendum funds due to an expected decrease in net assessed value (AV). However, certified net assessed value has actually increased, allowing the district to project a lower tax rate for 2026, dropping to around 96 cents, compared to the initially advertised $1.34. This adjustment is intended to benefit taxpayers and potentially alleviate some tax cap loss.
Expenditure Shifts: Roughly $500,000 in textbook rental costs, previously managed through a separate fund, have been moved to the education fund. Additionally, some site improvements and vehicle purchases are being moved to the 2025 General Obligation (GO) bond to relieve pressure on the operations fund.
Operational Costs: Health insurance premiums are projected to rise by 3%, and natural gas utilities in the operations fund are expected to increase by 12%.
Capital Projects and Bus Replacement
The 2026 Capital Projects Plan is budgeted at $170,000, down from $175,000 in 2025. This includes $70,000 for site maintenance, such as replacing high-traffic carpet areas ($50,000) and painting common areas and lockers. An additional $100,000 is allocated for emergencies within the operations fund. The Bus Replacement Plan outlines replacing two buses annually, increasing to three in 2029 due to activity buses. The estimated replacement cost factors in a 5% annual increase for inflation.
Academic and Facility Progress
The board also received updates from CSF Superintendent Dr. Matt Rhoda on various school initiatives and projects:
Academic Excellence: To ensure academic excellence, CSF is implementing Exact Path, a standards-based diagnostic tool, to help teachers track student progress and improve ILEARN scores. Monthly PLC meetings are scheduled for principals to review student data and lead academic improvement.
Safe Environment: Project Excel supports 39 high school students who struggle with school, with 10 passing all classes and others passing multiple subjects. This program, along with an alternative school and the Frankfort Pro Academy, aims to create a supportive environment.
Reading Champions: The Reading Champions program, celebrating its tenth year, brings volunteers from Farmers Bank and the Rotary Club of Clinton County to read with third graders. Last year, every Suncrest student in the program passed the IREAD on the first round.
Middle School Project: The middle school renovation continues with major completion on track for December 2026. Dr. Rhoda shared that wall demolition was completed in the new sixth-grade classroom area, concrete infill where risers were, and masonry work underway. Demolition is also complete in the former administrative area for new classrooms. On the second floor, metal studs are in place for new classrooms where the wrestling room was located.
Administrative Approvals and Policy Changes
Daniel Coogan was introduced and approved as the new Assistant Director of Exceptional Needs. Coogan, a graduate of the University of Indianapolis and Indiana University, brings five years of experience as a director of exceptional needs. Most recently, he served for five years as a director of exceptional needs at Paramount High School in Indianapolis. Coogan comes highly recommended with his former principal stating he is a “phenomenal person who demonstrates strong understanding of special education law.” Coogan lives in Fishers with his wife, Hannah, a dean at Franklin Central High School.
Policy 2304, a duplicate vacation policy, was retired, and policy 2113, the primary vacation day policy, was revised to clarify that employees will not receive compensation for accrued time upon resignation, termination, or retirement. The board also approved one non-resident transfer, bringing the total to 76 for the school year.
Other approvals included a $1,000 donation from First Evangelical Presbyterian Church to Frankfort High School’s DECA backpack buddies program, and new evaluation rubrics for school psychologists, custodial staff, and three directors. Operational guidelines for school bus accidents, including non-transported patient procedures and authorization for school officials to sign off on students going home with parents, were also approved.
Finally, the board approved the purchase of a new John Deere riding lawn mower for Frankfort High School for $11,933, and a $799,000 chiller replacement for Suncrest, to be installed in spring 2026 using bond money, replacing a refurbished unit nearing the end of its three-year warranty.
