Nassau County School Board moves to advertise proposed millage rates as district outlines $11 million cut and 44 positions removed

The Nassau County School Board on July 14 voted to advertise proposed millage rates and reviewed budget reductions that district staff said include more than $11 million in cuts and the elimination of 44 positions.

Board members moved to advertise the required local effort millage at 3.043 mills and then to advertise the discretionary millage at 0.748 mills. "Recommend approval to advertise the required local effort millage as 3.043," Dr. Burns said during the meeting. After a motion and a second, the board proceeded with the advertisement for the required local effort. Dr. Burns also recommended advertising the discretionary millage at 0.748 mills; a motion and second were made to place that rate in the advertisement.

The board chair said the advertisement process is required by state statute and that the district will hold its first public hearing on the tentative budget at 6 p.m. Monday, July 28 in the boardroom.

Why it matters: The advertised millage rates frame how much property-tax revenue the district can seek from local taxpayers. Advertising the rates begins a statutorily required public-notice period and sets dates for public hearings before the board adopts a final budget.

Budget details provided by staff at the meeting included a report of a "total reduction, for family empowerment of over $11,000,000," and a reduction of 44 positions plus "6 pair of positions and 3 people at the district office level," Dr. Burns said. Staff said those cuts came from vacancies not being filled, resignations not replaced and allocation adjustments based on recent enrollment reviews.

Staff also reviewed special revenue and carry-forward balances, noting uncertainty about some federal program funding. "Title 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 funding for 25-26, we won't know about until, they say in October," staff said. The district described carry-forward amounts for several federal programs (Title I, II, III, IV and adult education) and flagged a County CARES allocation used for switch gear at Yulee High School; staff said roughly $139,000 remains for that project and that testing of the switch had occurred.

The meeting included a walkthrough of the fund 110 school operating allocations. Staff said every school’s allocation was reduced in the tentative budget; the reductions may be revisited later in the budget process. A budget-control sheet dated 07/14/25 listing each school and department percentage reductions was shown and staff agreed to publish the control sheet and supporting worksheets for transparency.

On process and timeline, the chair explained that the property appraiser provides a projected taxable value that the district uses to build its local revenue estimate and that the advertisement is the next formal step in the timeline leading to the July 28 public hearing. Staff also said the district had held workshops in advance of the tentative budget presentation.

Quotes from meeting participants are taken from the district’s July 14 special budget meeting transcript. Representative remarks included: "We received a total reduction, for family empowerment of over $11,000,000," and "we've cut 44 positions, and then 6 pair of positions and 3 people at the district office level," both attributed to Dr. Burns. Ellen, a district staff member present at the meeting, said she would post the budget-control sheet and the budget worksheets used to reach the tentative figures.

Ending: The board’s next steps are the advertised-notice period and the scheduled public hearing on July 28, when staff will present rollback calculations, required local effort and other details the board must consider before final adoption of the budget.