Charlotte County School Board adopts tentative $555.09 million budget, sets millage at 6.288 mills

The Charlotte County School Board on July 31 adopted tentative millage rates totaling 6.288 mills and approved a tentative budget of $555,093,183 for fiscal year 2025–26, officials said during a public hearing and special meeting.

Chief Financial Officer Marcus Allen presented the tentative budget and millage, saying, “The total recommended millage is 6.288 mills, and the total millage rate to be levied is less than the rolled back rate by 0.58%.” He told the board the proposed total millage is 0.026 mills lower than last year, driven by a decrease in required local effort.

The board’s vote during the meeting set the maximum millage that may be levied; the board may lower but not raise that rate at the final public hearing. Superintendent Villanello and staff recommended adoption of the tentative millage and budget to meet Truth in Millage (TRIM) timelines.

Why it matters: The tentative budget and millage set the county’s school-tax ceiling for the year and outline the district’s spending priorities pending final state funding calculations and the board’s September hearing. Marcus Allen told the board taxable values are projected at approximately $38,477,000,000 — a roughly $1.1 billion (3.1%) increase from the prior year — and that tax levies at the district’s 96% collection assumption are expected to generate just over $232 million in revenue.

Key figures and context: The district’s proposed $555,093,183 budget is organized into five main funds: general (operating), special revenue, debt service, capital projects and internal service. Allen said about 49% of the total budget is budgeted in the general (operating) fund. He reported $176.8 million budgeted for the operating fund (including $36.9 million attributable to the voted operating millage) and approximately $55.5 million for local capital improvement taxes. Salaries and benefits account for roughly 75% of expenditures; direct instruction represents about 58% of total expenditures. Allen also said the district expects an increase of about 614 students under the Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) calculations, with about 71 of those in traditional brick-and-mortar schools.

Other approvals and votes at the meeting: After the budget votes, the board approved a series of largely routine items by motion and voice vote, with no recorded roll-call tallies provided in the transcript. Actions approved included:

- Adoption of NEOLA-updated policies as advertised (policy public hearing and adoption). - Approval of the tentative budget resolution for $555,093,183. - Approval of the 2025–26 K–12 comprehensive evidence-based reading plan. - Approval of the 2025–26 student progression plan. - Approval of the mental health allocation plan. - Approval of the district quarterly inspection report (no compliance issues reported at two inspected schools). - Approval of the 2025–26 Florida Safe Schools District best-practices assessment (the FSAT document is confidential by statute). - Approval of a fee schedule and scholarship curriculum agreement as submitted. - Approval of the 2025–26 school bus runs; transportation will begin the year with 88 buses and adjust routes as enrollment and ridership change. - Approval of a revised 2025–26 interim salary schedule. - Approval of personnel actions including annual contract renewals and job description updates. - Nomination and approval of Kara Reynolds as the district’s Florida School Boards Association (FSBA) advocacy representative and John Leclair as alternate.

Safety and security: Joe King, coordinator of district security and emergency management, summarized district safety work and inspection results. He reported that Office of Safe Schools compliance inspections on May 27 at Liberty Elementary and Peace River Elementary found zero noncompliance issues. King also described a January 2024 three‑year safety walkthrough of every school done with local law enforcement and first responders; he said one major, ongoing project is retrofitting school intercom systems, a multiyear effort funded largely by a hardening grant. King noted that the Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool (FSAT) itself is confidential and exempt from public release under Florida law, and the board approved the district’s FSAT submittal.

Next steps and schedule: The board was told a final budget hearing is tentatively scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 9. Marcus Allen emphasized that the district is awaiting the state’s fourth FEFP funding calculation; the district will update revenues and allocations after that calculation is released. Board members asked for a budget page separating traditional and charter school revenue and expenditures (excluding scholarships) for transparency and requested regular updates after each student‑count and funding calculation, starting with the fourth calculation.

Community and personnel notes: The superintendent and board members also recognized the district communications team — Claudette Smith, James Romulus and Kristen Peterson — for awards from the National School Public Relations Association and noted the district installed about 115–117 new teachers and other staff over the summer. Several board members praised transportation and facilities staff for summer work preparing schools.

Votes at a glance: Because most approvals were taken by motion and unanimous voice vote in the transcript with no roll‑call tallies, specific per‑member votes are not recorded in the public transcript. The meeting record shows motions, seconds and voice approval for the items listed above; each motion was announced as passing by the chair.