Roswell schools report $140 million operating budget and continuing enrollment decline

District finance staffer Mister Sexton briefed the board on March 11 about fiscal factors that will shape the 2025–26 budget, including pending legislation, the unit value and the 80th/120th day counts that determine state funding.

Sexton said it would be premature to quantify impacts from pending bills but listed the district's primary revenue driver as the state equalization guarantee and noted that staffing is the district's largest expenditure. "These include the eightieth and 120th day, the average of the eightieth and 120th day, the number of instructional days, as well as the unit value that is assigned by the Public Education Department," Sexton said.

Why it matters: the district reviewed enrollment trends and predicted a modest continued decline—"give or take 150 to 200" students—on the 120th-day counts the district uses for budgeting. Sexton and other staff said they monitor pupil-to-teacher ratios and plan staff adjustments after the 10th-day count in fall when new arrivals stabilize.

Superintendent Luck added that the district's operational budget for fiscal year 2024–25 is about $140,000,000 (not including some other funds such as transportation) and that the district will maintain conservative budgeting practices even if some bills increase per-student funding. The board scheduled a budget review for April 3 and planned a second meeting after the spring budget conference.

Ending: Staff said they will continue monitoring legislative developments through March 22, complete the April budget review and return to the board with staffing and revenue projections after the next official counts.