(Note: Slides and video available on the district website. Budget will be considered for final approval at the June 16, 2026 Board meeting.)
Call to Order: 8am. All board members present.
FY2027 Budget Presentation
Budget Process Overview
Board approves budget at the legal reporting level, expenditure function and revenue source by fund
Budget managed by district within board-approved limits
Expenditures exceeding budget by fund and function must return to board for approval via budget amendment
Board receives monthly financial reports by fund and function
Building program reports are detailed by project and by each active E-SPLOST cycle
General Fund
Total estimated revenue: $390,044,500
Total estimated expenditures (before needed improvements): $418,765,112
Needed improvements: $10,657,625
Revenue breakdown (general fund only): 58.80% state, 40.98% local, 0.22% federal
15th largest district out of 180 in Georgia by FTE
6th in state for percent of budget spent on instruction
Last in state (180/180) for percent spent on general administration
174th out of 180 for per-pupil total expenditure ($12,155)
Employer Benefits / Major Increases
FICA & Medicare: unchanged at 7.65%
Teacher Retirement System: increased to 22.32% (up 1.87%)
Certified and non-certified health insurance: increased to $23,220 annually (up 2.65%)
Life insurance and supplemental retirement: unchanged
Summary of mandatory cost increases built into budget:
Step increase: $4,200,000
State health insurance: $2,800,000
Teacher Retirement System: $1,500,000
History of Salary Increases
Cumulative US inflation since 2020: 27.3%
Cumulative COLA since 2020: 16.9%
Gap: 10.4%
2026 adjustment was a $2,000 one-time stipend for all employees (not a permanent scale increase)
General Fund Improvements — Needed Improvements & Estimated Cost
3% cost of living adjustment to all scales $8,276,348
Add 3 registered behavior technicians $165,000
Add 1 SPED coordinator $129,474
Add 0.5 SPED nurse $40,000
Increase curriculum specialists from 220 to 225 days $21,880
Reclassify coordinator to director in Curriculum & Instruction $12,565
Add 13 custodians to school buildings across the district $752,571
Increase HS Bookkeeper and Principal Secretary from 220 to 225 days $12,612
Add a step to administrative scale to bring in line with market $421,103
Add robotics lead stipends for schools ($1,500) $58,487
Reclassify 2 positions in business department to market $53,922
Add 1 purchasing agent $85,000
Add 1 open records request position $85,000
Add 2 HVAC techs $184,590
Reclassify lead custodians to market $189,955
Add administrative position for HR $125,240
Minor supplement & market adjustments $43,878
Total$10,657,625
Board Discussion: COLA — 3% vs. 5%
Board member Katie Allen raised the possibility of increasing the proposed cost of living adjustment from 3% to 5%. The following is transcripted from the meeting:
Allen: I just want to first of all say thank you for all the work you do. And then also walk you through some of my numbers and calculations just to give you a chance to correct anything. So, based on what I am seeing from neighboring counties, I would like to do a cost of living increase for the staff from three percent to five percent. So it might have — calculations: this would cost five point five million dollars in addition to the ten point seven million for needed improvements. About correct?
Casado: Yes, that sounds right.
Allen: And so my second part is I think we can do this. And let me walk you through my numbers to explain why I believe we can do this. So we began fiscal year twenty twenty six, this current fiscal year, with a general fund balance of one hundred eight point seven million. We are projected to end this current fiscal year with the general fund balance of one hundred twenty six million. So that means we’re on track to finish this fiscal year twenty six with a seventeen point three million dollar surplus, which is what our Moody’s report said would happen — that we would be running a surplus. So it is also consistent with our history since fiscal year twenty one in which we have had an annual surplus ranging from eighteen to thirty million dollars each year. So given the projected surplus of this year, given our five and six year trends, I believe we can do this — even within our current operations budget — to do the recommended improvements and also to do that five percent cost of living increase without even raising property taxes.
I also would like to see, and I believe based on my analysis that we have room to do, some of the items that were on our improvements list from last year that we didn’t vote on. So that would be one of the ones I really wanted last year — hiring six SPED paraprofessionals. Now, last year we had that at about one hundred and eighty six thousand. I imagine it would be a little bit more, but that’s for the board to kind of think about. And then also to consider from our list last year an elementary K through seven math specialist brought in at two hundred and twenty days — four hundred twenty six thousand. So those items together would be less than four hundred thousand. So, still in the vicinity of what we could do in our operations budget that would be sustainable without a tax increase. So based on my numbers, is that approximately correct for what you say — that would be sustainable moving forward to do those things?
Casado: Yeah, I think your numbers are accurate there — relatively accurately stated. I can rerun that and look at it if you will, or tell you how much more it will cost.
(Karin’s Note: Allen also suggested reinstating two items from last year’s improvements list. Six SPED paraprofessionals (~$186,000) and an elementary K-7 math specialist (~$426,000). Kent and Dr.Flynt noted that a reorganization of the SPED department may have addressed some of the paraprofessional needs, and that any added positions would need to be mapped to the district’s weighted staffing formula. No determination was made on whether those positions are still needed.)
School Nutrition
Program is intended to be self-sustaining
Current estimated fund balance (6/30/26): $6,300,000
Projected deficit for FY2027 without price increase: $1,109,444
Projected fund balance (6/30/27) without price increase: $5,190,556
Casado’s target fund balance: approximately $5,000,000
No expenditure improvements recommended for school nutrition
Revenue improvement recommended: meal price increases
State and federal paid lunch equity calculation formula puts the target price for paid lunches at $4.25 for SY2025-26
Estimated additional revenue from proposed increases: $660,478
Board discussion included possibility of a smaller increase (to $3.75 for lunch) which would yield approximately $560,000 in additional revenue
Casado noted participation has increased despite last year’s price increase
Special Revenue Funds
Federal funds budget is a conservative estimate given federal fiscal year does not begin until October 1
Total special revenue grants for FY2027: $11,146,538
Includes Special Education (federal), Title I-IV, Homeless, Vocational, Lottery Pre-K, and ROTC
Note: federal grant amounts shown do not represent total district expenditure on these programs — state and local dollars also fund these areas
Building Fund / $20M General Fund Transfer
Proposed budget includes $20,000,000 transfer from general fund to building fund
Building fund estimated revenue FY2027: $75,000,000
Building fund total estimated expenditures: $154,662,888
Building fund balance (6/30/26): $189,000,000 (reflects December 2025 bond proceeds)
Projected building fund balance (6/30/27): $109,337,112
The $20M transfer is designated for Phase 3 building program projects — facility maintenance and upgrades across the district
(The board didn’t have a copy of the 26-27 project list prior to the meeting. FY2026-2027 project list provided by CFO Scott Casado attached below. Total project cost: $19,077,700. Projects include HVAC replacements, fire alarm upgrades, LED lighting, restroom renovations, roof replacement, and painting across multiple schools.)
Budget Timeline
April 21, 2026 Budget presentation to the board
April 28, 2026 1st public input meeting
May 12, 2026 2nd public input meeting, 5:30 p.m.
June 16, 2026Final budget approval
Public Input
Janet Duggan
The public will have a second opportunity for input at the May 12, 2026 board meeting at 5:30 p.m. Board members discussed several budget alternatives at this meeting, including a 5% COLA instead of 3% and additional staffing items, which may be presented with updated numbers at the May 12 meeting. The final budget will be considered for approval at the June 16, 2026 Board meeting. Both meetings are held at the Board of Education Building at 4781 Hereford Farm Road, Evans, GA.