Brevard officials warn funding delays and federal review complicate 2025–26 budget planning

At a Brevard School board workshop, district leaders outlined how late state budget information and a federal review have left key funding streams on hold and complicated work to finish a tentative 2025–26 budget.

Superintendent Dr. Rendell told the board the district expects to present a tentative budget for approval at the July 29 meeting and a final budget in September, but that officials lack several pieces of information normally available at this point in the budget cycle.

The missing pieces include delayed state FEFP (Florida Education Finance Program) calculations and a federal Department of Education review that the presenter said put roughly $6.8 billion in federal K–12 funds under review and “on hold” beginning July 1. The presenter also cited a shortfall of $47,000,000 in a final state disbursement to districts statewide and said Florida’s statewide impact includes about 25,000 students who were dual‑registered under the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) program, triggering additional prorations.

“This year is unlike any other that I’ve experienced in Florida public schools,” said Dr. Rendell. “We will present a tentative budget to the board for approval by the July 29 board…