Cullman County Schools board adopts $140 million 2025–26 budget after final public hearing

At a final public budget hearing Sept. 11, the Cullman County Schools Board of Education approved the district's 2025–26 budget, with the board voting to adopt the plan after a presentation on revenue and expenditure changes.

Miss Barriman, the district's finance presenter, told the board that average daily membership had fallen and that "units went down about 3.6," while ADM declined about 4.8 students. She said the district's total state foundation funds rose by about $159,000 but that a change in the state funding model moved previously separate allocations for gifted, English-language learners and at-risk students into the RAISE program. "So something important to say, even though the revenue is up, that's earmarked," Barriman said.

Barriman said the district is budgeting roughly $140,000,000 in total revenues for all funds — general, special revenues, capital projects and debt service — an increase of about $7,500,000 from the prior year. She described the composition of the increase: state revenues up about $3,600,000 and local revenues up about $2,100,000,…