Pasco County School Board adopts $2.30 billion budget, sets millage at 6.274 mills

The Pasco County School Board on Sept. 9 adopted a final fiscal-year 2025–26 budget and set the millage rate at 6.274 mills after a public hearing and board votes.

Superintendent Legg told the board the district’s proposed 2025–26 annual budget totaled $2,305,784,425 and described increases tied to enrollment growth in certain schools, salary and benefit costs and capital projects. The board subsequently voted to adopt the resolution determining revenues and the millage levied, and then the final budget resolution.

Board members and finance staff said the budget preserves school-level services and sets aside funds required for charter schools and family empowerment scholarships. “The 25–26 annual budget is a total of $2,305,784,425,” Superintendent Legg said during the public hearing presentation. Finance staff and board discussion noted that the district allocates approximately $92 million for charter schools and about $71 million to cover Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) obligations.

Why it matters: the adopted millage and budget govern classroom operations, staffing and multi‑year capital projects. Board members repeatedly emphasized that the adopted budget remains a “living document” and that the October full-time-equivalent (FTE) count can change final state funding and trigger amendments.

Key details and context: the adopted millage of 6.274 mills represents a 0.057‑mill decrease from the prior year while the required portion of the tax levy under state law increased by 1.37% (the rollback rate cited was 6.1297 mills). Under the proposed rate, a homeowner of a $350,000 home, after the $25,000 homestead exemption, would pay $2,039 in taxes, about $19 less than the prior year as presented to the board.

Board members highlighted budget drivers including health insurance and Florida Retirement System rates, utilities, school resource officer contracts and the opening of Skybrook K‑8. The capital budget was described at roughly $646 million, a decrease of about $13 million from the prior year, reflecting bond‑funded project spenddown; major projects cited included construction of Gulf Middle School, a new elementary, gym renovations and athletic facility work at Pasco High School.

Board discussion also focused on enrollment trends and vacancies. Using HR tracking, Mr. Shibley compared classroom-teacher vacancies this week to the year before the teacher salary referendum: “As of this point, we have 68 classroom teacher vacancies, which is an overall vacancy rate of our teaching staff of about 1.46%. … At this point in the year prior to us receiving the referendum, we had 244 classroom vacancies … and close to a 6% vacancy rate,” he said.

Board finance staff cautioned that the 20‑day count is preliminary and that October’s FTE certification by the Florida Department of Education will determine final state revenues. The superintendent said there were 696 students currently in district schools receiving FES vouchers; staff are working with the department to verify those enrollments for funding to “follow the child.”

Votes at a glance: the board adopted (a) the resolution determining revenues and millage levied (motion: Baldwin; second: Hernandez; outcome: approved), (b) the final budget resolution (motion: Beaudoin; second: Harding; outcome: approved), and (c) approved the consent agenda (motion: Hernandez; second: Wright; outcome: approved). Specific roll-call tallies were recorded as unanimous voice votes in the minutes.

What’s next: staff said budget amendments will be brought to the board as needed during the year. The board and staff said they will monitor the October FTE count, voucher reconciliations and potential changes to state funding that could require adjustments to the adopted budget.