Lee's Summit School District projects $7 to $10 million budget deficit this school year

LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — KSHB 41 News reporter Braden Bates covers parts of Jackson County, Missouri, including Lee's Summit. Send Braden a story idea by e-mail.

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The Lee's Summit R-7 School District said it's projecting a $7 to $10 million budget hold because of declines in funding from local, state and federal levels.

These projected deficits are forcing the district to look at its levy rate, which could impact property taxes in Lee's Summit.

The school district said in 2023 they implemented a voluntary rollback on the district's tax levy as Jackson County property tax assessments increased significantly.

This rollback has remained in place for last few years, according to the district.

The school board is now considering getting rid of the voluntary rollback.

The board will vote on whether or not to keep the voluntary rollback at its September 29 meeting

What a yes on eliminating the voluntary rollback this means for taxpayers and the district:

If the district eliminates the voluntary rollback, taxpayers with an assessed property value of $300,000 would see a property tax increase of $372, according to the district.

The increase would not impact those on the SB190 senior tax relief.

Eliminating this rollback would generate more revenue for the district. That would allow it to keep programming and staffing.

What a no vote on eliminating the voluntary rollback means for taxpayers and the district:

The district said this will put even more of a strain on its finances. District leaders and the school board would need to find funding from other sources, which could mean cuts in the district for the 2027/28 school year.

The district said these cuts could eliminate 175 to 225 staff positions, from teachers to administrators.

Why does the district face potential significant financial losses?

The current financial challenges are the result of Jackson County tax credits, state funding formula calculations and payouts, and federal funding delays and reductions, the district told KSHB 41 News Lee's Summit reporter Braden Bates.

In the spring of 2026, Bates reported on the school district's financial challenges in the 2025/26 school year.

The school district receives most of its funding from local sources, with property taxes and state funding the largest source of money for the district.

The district said Jackson County residential property assessment credits planned to offset the spike in 2023 and 2024 are troubling. Along with SB190 senior tax relief, which freezes property taxes for a portion the population, could increase the funding decline.

In recent years the state wasn't able to fully fund its formula. The state allocates a certain amount of money per student. The district said is uses the funding formula to project how much money will be in their budget. The past two years the formula wasn't fully funded, meaning the projected amount the district was slated to receive wasn't paid in full.

Federal reductions have also resulted in a loss of funds.

Jackson County

Jackson County school districts plan for $200M loss from county tax credit

Braden Bates

The district estimates a decline of $4 million in local funding, $3 to $5 million in state funds nd $500,000 in federal money for the 2026/27 school year.

The district is hosting two public town halls to discuss the budget shortfalls and voluntary rollback.

Those meetings will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m on September 1 and September 8 at the Stansberry Leadership Center, 301 NE Tudor Road, Lee's Summit.

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