Fulton district unveils $94.2 million 2025–26 draft budget, outlines 59 position reductions and limited layoffs

Fulton City School District leaders on Tuesday presented a $94,197,840 draft budget for the 2025–26 school year and outlined staffing reductions intended to bring expenditures in line with projected revenue.

The district’s staff presenter, Kate (staff member), said the district’s initial rollover expenditures totaled about $99,300,000 — a 12.2% increase from the prior year — and that “through different reductions, the expenditure side was brought into balance with the revenue to reach $94,197,840 which is a 6.45% increase from 2024–25.” Kate said the draft uses $3,800,000 from reserves to balance the general fund.

Why it matters: Fulton officials said rising health-care and utility costs are the primary drivers forcing cuts. Administrators also described planned changes intended to preserve classroom services — including combining some instructional-coach roles with partial teaching duties and relying on train‑the‑trainer professional development to reduce outside-contract expenses.

Budget structure and revenue The district presented the three-part budget breakdown and the revenue sources behind the draft. Program spending would account for 75.7% of the proposed expenditures ($71,261,347), capital 14.7% ($13,879,637) and administrative 9.6% ($9,056,856). Kate said salaries accounted for almost 46% of the 2024–25 budget and that salaries plus benefits represent “over 70%” of district spending.

On revenue, presenters said state aid accounts for roughly 70% of general-fund revenue, the tax levy about 24.4%, and other miscellaneous sources about 6.7%. The draft includes a proposed tax-levy…