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Seminole County School Board adopts final 2025-26 budget, levies 5.249 mills
Summary
At a Sept. 16 public hearing, the School Board of Seminole County adopted resolutions setting millage rates and approving the final 2025-26 budget; board members said the modest tax increase on the typical home stems from higher assessed values, not a higher millage rate.
The School Board of Seminole County adopted resolutions setting the district's millage rates and approving the final fiscal year 2025-26 budget at a Sept. 16 public hearing. Superintendent Beaman recommended adoption and the board voted unanimously to approve both measures.
CFO Pavlicek opened the hearing with procedural and statutory background, saying, "This afternoon's public hearing was publicized in a mailing that was sent to all property taxpayers in mid August" and that the district followed the Truth in Millage requirements under Florida law. He presented the proposed millage components and the district's final budget book, which was made available on the board's website.
Pavlicek detailed the proposed levies for 2025-26: required local effort 2.998 mills, prior period funding adjustment 0.003 mills, basic discretionary operating 0.748 mills and capital outlay 1.5 mills, for a total levy of 5.249 mills. He said the total represents a 0.03-mill decrease from the prior year and noted the required local effort rate is set by the Florida Legislature.
Pavlicek also explained the relationship between assessed value changes and tax bills: "It would be the increase in the assessment valuation. The school board's millage rate actually dropped," and he showed an example using the county's average taxable home value. Using an average assessed value of $268,680 and a taxable value of $243,006.80, he calculated a school tax of $1,279.07 for the year, an increase of $32.66 compared with the prior year. He said the Save Our Homes assessment cap for the year was 2.9 percent and used that figure in the example.
Pavlicek reviewed that the district is funded through the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) and that TRIM procedures require two public hearings; the tentative budget hearing was held July 22, 2025 and the Sept. 16 session served as the final hearing. He said carryover budget balances were the main differences between the tentative and final budgets.
Board members thanked staff for preparing the budget book. Member Sanchez moved to adopt Resolution 2025-09 determining revenues and millages levied; Member Davis seconded and the motion carried by voice vote. Superintendent Beaman then recommended adoption of Resolution 2025-10 adopting the final budget for fiscal year 2025-26; Vice Chair Garrick moved, Member Dellinger seconded, and the board approved the final budget by voice vote.
There were no public comments at the hearing. No member of the board requested additional studies or amendments during the meeting, and no opposing votes were recorded.
The meeting adjourned after the votes. The district's detailed final budget document and the budget book referenced in the hearing are available on the school board's website for review.
