Sources
Every claim in our briefings traces back to specific public documents and meeting records. We currently track 111 primary sources across three collections.
How Sources Become Briefings
1. Collection
Meeting transcripts, budget documents, and presentations are collected automatically from public sources twice daily.
2. Normalization
Raw files (VTT transcripts, PDFs, spreadsheets) are converted to structured markdown for consistent analysis.
3. Interpretation
Each meeting is analyzed through 15 stakeholder perspectives. The AI identifies what matters most to each persona and why.
4. Cumulative Narrative
New meeting interpretations are folded into running per-persona narratives — tracking how understanding evolves across meetings.
5. Briefings
Forward-looking briefings are generated from cumulative narratives, highlighting what changed, what to watch for, and open questions.
Original Source Portals
All source material comes from these public portals. You can verify any claim by checking the originals.
| Portal | What's There | Link |
|---|---|---|
| SP School Department — Budget | Budget presentations, packets, models, the budget book | spsdme.org/budget27 |
| SPC-TV Vimeo | Full video recordings of school board and city council meetings | vimeo.com/spctv |
| Diligent Community | City council meeting agendas and minutes | Diligent portal |
| SP School Board | Board meeting schedules, agendas, policies | spsdme.org/school-board |
Our Source Collections
Click a collection to see every source we've collected and processed.
FY27 Budget Documents
Meeting packets, presentations, spreadsheets, and the budget book from the district. December 2025 through March 2026.
School Board Budget Meetings
Transcripts of board meetings where the budget was discussed. December 2025 through March 2026.
City Council Meetings 2026
Council meeting transcripts and agendas covering budget-adjacent municipal context. January through March 2026.
Key Budget Numbers
| Item | Amount | Context |
|---|---|---|
| FY26 Operating Budget | $73.4M | Current year baseline |
| FY27 Roll-Forward Estimate | $82.9M-$84.0M | Same services + new contract rates + health insurance |
| FY27 Proposed Budget | $75.6M | Superintendent's proposal (3.3% increase) |
| Structural Gap | $8.4M | Required reductions to balance |
| Positions Eliminated | 78 (12%) | From 657 FTE to 579 FTE |
| Special Education | $16.4M | Up from $12.7M two years ago |
| Facilities Costs | $7.3M | Up from $6.2M two years ago |
| Fund Balance (entering FY26) | $739K | Down from $5.9M in FY23 |
Staffing Impact
| Group | FY26 | FY27 | Cut | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teachers (SPTA) | 354 | 312 | 42 | 12% |
| Ed Techs & Clerks (SPESPA) | 155 | 139 | 16 | 10% |
| Building Administrators (SPAA) | 13 | 11 | 2 | 15% |
| Facilities/Food/Transport (SEA) | 100 | 86 | 14 | 14% |
| Non-Bargaining | 35 | 31 | 4 | 11% |
Of the 78 reductions, approximately 20 can be absorbed through existing vacancies, retirements, or resignations, leaving about 58 positions where staff will be directly impacted.