MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — Mitchell School District 17-2 has passed a budget for the 2026-27 school year.
The vote came after a public hearing on Monday held at the MTEC Building. The school board approved financial outlays of nearly $50 million for grades K-12, plus a Mitchell Technical College Fund of $27,961,410. The K-12 budget breaks down as follows:
- General Fund: $25,262,370
- Capital Outlay Fund: $10,377,260
- Special Education Fund: $6,737,591
- Food Service Fund: $2,056,083
- Capital Projects Fund: $4,000,000
- Bond Fund: $987,000
The district is levying the maximum amount of taxes allowed under state law to meet its obligations. Roughly $1.50 per $1,000 of ag land valuation and $0.67 per $1,000 of home values will be assessed, plus a combination of state funding and other sources. Special education funds come from a property tax assessment of $1.45 per $1,000 of valuation.
The district has lost about 100 students over the past three years and has cut back on full-time equivalent staff to compensate. South Dakota has one of the highest birth rates in the country, but it is still falling in line with national trends, meaning it will be hard to see a bounce back in enrollment in the near future.