Dearest reader,
The ledger has reached Step 8 of my deep dive into Saginaw Township Community Schools.
This time, I followed the General Fund balance and compared what the final budgets said would happen with what actually happened.
And the receipts tell an interesting, and fairly balanced story.
STCS ended 2020-21 with approximately $10.5 million in its General Fund. By June 2025, that balance had grown to approximately $13.37 million. An increase of about $2.87 million, or 27.3%.
Most of that 2025 balance wasn't already spoken for, either. Approximately $10.39 million, nearly 78% was reported as unassigned fund balance.
But this is where the budgeting side of the ledger caught my attention.
In several years, the district's final budget projected a considerably weaker financial result than what ultimately occurred.
2020-21:
Final budget projected −$1.65 million.
Actual: −$206,180.
2021-22:
Final budget projected −$944,391.
Actual: +$10,238.
2022-23:
Final budget projected +$202,228.
Actual: +$935,992.
Those are favorable differences of approximately $1.44 million, $955,000 and $734,000.
But receipts aren't very useful if we only keep the convenient ones.
That pattern did NOT continue in 2024-25.
The final budget anticipated the fund balance increasing about $224,000. It actually increased about $78,000, roughly $146,000 less than projected.
And looking forward doesn't show STCS rapidly draining its reserves, either.
The final 2025-26 budget contemplates a relatively modest General Fund draw, while the adopted 2026-27 budget is nearly balanced. If those budgets play out as written, the district would finish 2026-27 with roughly $12.72 million remaining in the General Fund.
So this isn't a post claiming STCS is sitting on some enormous pile of money it refuses to spend.
It isn't a post claiming the district is burning through its savings, either.
Neither conclusion is supported by the ledger.
What the receipts DO show is a district that built its General Fund balance over several years, maintained a substantial unassigned reserve, and in multiple years finished considerably better financially than its final budget had projected.
And that leaves me with the question:
When final budgets repeatedly project weaker financial results than ultimately occur, how should taxpayers, employees and board members evaluate the financial picture presented during the budget process?
That's the question.
I don't need to manufacture the answer.
The ledger is open.
With receipts and respect,
Lady Budgetdown
#LadyBudgetdown #WithReceiptsAndRespect #SaginawTownship #STCS #SchoolFinance #MichiganSchools #PublicEducation #Transparency #FollowTheMoney #TheLedger
Sources:
Saginaw Township Community Schools Audited Financial Statements, fiscal years 2020-21 through 2024-25
STCS 2025-26 Final Revised Budget Resolution
STCS 2026-27 Operating Budget