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Polk County School Board adopts tentative 2025–26 budget, sets millage rates and Sept. hearing
Summary
The Polk County School Board voted July 29 to adopt tentative millage rates totaling 5.29 mills and a tentative 2025–26 budget of $2,476,464,933, and set the final public hearing for Sept. 9. Staff warned of state and federal funding shifts and said family empowerment scholarships have reduced district funding since 2021.
The Polk County School Board on July 29 adopted tentative millage rates and a $2.48 billion tentative budget for the 2025–26 school year and set a final public hearing for Sept. 9 at 5:01 p.m. at the district office in Bartow.
During a staff presentation, Jenkins, finance staff, told the board the district's gross taxable value rose by about $5.6 billion this year and explained how state formulas decreased the district's required local effort millage even as property values increased. "Our gross taxable value has gone up about $5,600,000,000 in Polk County this year," Jenkins said during the presentation.
The board approved the required local effort millage of 3.042 mills, the discretionary operating millage of 0.748 mills and a capital outlay millage of 1.5 mills, for a total of 5.29 mills. The board also adopted Resolution 2025-26-02 adopting the tentative budget in the amount of $2,476,464,933 and directed staff to submit the certificate of taxable value required by the property appraiser. Each motion passed on voice vote without recorded opposition.
Nut graf: The vote formalizes the district's initial spending plan and tax rate, but Jenkins and Superintendent Hyde warned the numbers reflect complex state funding formulas and local impacts including the Family Empowerment Scholarship program, which staff said has reduced district funding since 2021.
Board and staff said several offsetting factors affected the numbers: an estimated $21.7 million increase in gross state FEFP calculation, a required transfer for teacher salary increases (TSIA) of roughly $4.1 million, increased FRS costs and higher charter school funding obligations. Jenkins said the district projected an ending fund balance equal to about 3.88% of expenditures and estimated assigned and unassigned funds totaling about 5.58%.
Superintendent Hyde described the figures as conservative, noting vacancies and unpredictable costs such as utilities. He and staff said the district had also reallocated some items previously paid from federal grants into the general fund following changes in funding distribution.
Speakers from the public urged the board to hold a town-hall discussion about pending federal budget proposals that could cut education programs. Deborah Mondale and Luis Feliciano asked the board to host a public meeting to explain potential impacts of proposed federal cuts and to adopt a nonpartisan resolution encouraging transparency and planning; both speakers said they supported a resolution being submitted that evening.
Ending: The board set the final budget hearing for Sept. 9 at the district office; formal adoption of the budget and final millage will occur after that hearing and any adjustments required by state notifications or changes in projected revenues.
