The District School Board of Pasco County on Tuesday adopted a tentative fiscal year 2025–26 budget of $2,338,447,781 and a proposed tax millage of 6.274 mills, the board’s superintendent and finance staff said at the meeting. The board voted to set the final public hearing for Sept. 9, 2025, at 6 p.m. in the School Board Meeting Room at the Administrative Complex.

The budget document presented by Superintendent Allegra calls for a general operating budget of approximately $1.138 billion and a capital budget of $672 million. "I respectfully request your approval of the 25–26 tentative fiscal year budget as presented," the superintendent said during the hearing. The district reported the tentative budget is an increase of $53,462,164 over the prior year.

Board members and staff said the budget assumes a small decline in state funding tied to enrollment, noting the district’s student population declined by about 638 students. The district expects to receive less state revenue and said it had set aside funds to manage enrollment shifts and possible state proration. The plan also reflects the recent release of federal grants that had been under review; district staff told the board those grants were added back into the proposed budget after being released on Friday, July 25.

Key line items highlighted by staff include a voted additional millage (noted as a 1-mill salary supplement) estimated to generate about $64 million, $92 million set aside for charter schools, roughly $71 million allocated for FES scholarships, and roughly $68 million for categoricals and other set-asides. Expenditures called out as increasing in 2025–26 include health insurance, Florida Retirement System rates, utilities, school resource officer contracts and costs associated with opening Skybrook K–8.

Capital priorities in the tentative budget include construction of Gulf Middle School, West Ephraim Hills Elementary School, a gymnasium at Kirkland Ranch K–8, renovations at Cypress Elementary School, a new cafeteria and athletic facilities at Pasco High School, and systemwide roofing, HVAC and infrastructure upgrades. The capital budget also reflects a rollforward of bond proceeds for ongoing construction projects.

Attorney Meeker read the statutorily required notice and said the budget hearing complied with Florida statutes and the TRIM (truth in millage) requirements. Board members then moved and seconded the separate motions: to adopt the tentative millage rate resolution (mover: Beaudoin; second: Fernandez) and to adopt the tentative budget resolution (mover: Baldwin; second: Harding). Both motions were approved by voice vote. The board also voted to set the final budget hearing for Sept. 9, 2025.

Board members emphasized that the adopted figures are tentative and that the budget is a living document that will be updated with amendments during the year. Mrs. Taylor said printed budget books provided to the board included staff allocations, a five-year capital plan and summaries of personnel, operational and capital outlays. The district said it plans to retain a 5% unassigned fund balance, with $47,200,000 set aside to maintain that target.

United School Employees of Pasco representative Mr. Larson addressed the board earlier in the meeting, noting the union’s ongoing activities and the recent report that previously frozen federal grant funds had been released; he described the grants’ release as "positive news." Governor-level or named state actions were not reported in the transcript; the district’s staff repeatedly described the tentative budget as subject to change as revenue clarity emerges.

The board closed the public hearing portion of the meeting after no speakers signed up to comment on the tentative budget. The second and final hearing remains scheduled for Sept. 9, 2025, at 6 p.m.