Clayton County board adopts FY26 budget with $1,500 COLA and $1,000 retention incentive; approves charter petition and several principal appointments

The Clayton County Board of Education on June 2 approved the district's fiscal year 2026 budget and a package of personnel and charter items, voting to adopt the superintendent's recommendation for "option 3," which includes a $1,500 cost-of-living adjustment for all employees and a $1,000 one-time retention incentive for returning full-time staff (and $500 for returning part-time staff).

The budget presentation, given by Ms. Bivens, put projected FY26 general fund revenues at $728,777,017 and projected expenditures at $749,185,814, leaving a planned use of fund balance of $20,408,797 and a projected June 30, 2026 ending general fund balance of $139,591,203. All funds totalled projected revenues of $1,491,669,576 and projected expenditures of $1,514,097,197, for a planned use of fund balance of $22,427,621 and a projected all-funds ending balance of $139,598,869.

Board members debated the timing and process for the budget. Maika Smoot, president of the Clayton County Education Association, told the board there was confusion about which budget version was under consideration and urged a minimum 3% cost-of-living adjustment for employees, saying district communications had presented multiple, conflicting compensation options. "There is currently no proposed step increase for employees," Smoot said during public comment. Several board members, including Jasmine Bowles and others, expressed frustration with the district's budget process and called for more transparent committee work and earlier engagement.

After discussion and a formal motion to accept the superintendent's recommendation, the board approved the budget and the motion included adopting a tentative millage rate of 19.6 mills to support the plan. The board recorded the final vote as 5 in favor, 2 opposed and 2 abstentions; the budget motion passed.

During the same meeting the board approved other items on the business agenda and in executive session. The board voted to approve the consent agenda (financial reports, purchasing reports, capital projects and personnel changes) unanimously. The board approved Policy Series I (first reading action) with seven votes in favor and two abstentions. It also approved the petition for Tapestry Public Charter School (motion passed; vote recorded in the minutes as passing), and unanimously confirmed several superintendent-recommended principal appointments announced after executive session: Dr. Kelvin Griffin for Lovejoy High School, Joy Duncan Harris for Kemp Elementary School, LaDonna Elliott for Kilpatrick Elementary School and Wendell Spann for Lee Street Elementary School. The board also noted Samuel Garcia will begin tomorrow as acting assistant principal at Unidos Elementary.

Votes at a glance - FY26 budget (superintendent option 3): approved; recorded tally 5 yes, 2 no, 2 abstain; motion included tentative millage rate of 19.6 mills. - Policy Series I: approved; recorded tally 7 yes, 2 abstentions. - Tapestry Public Charter School petition: approved (motion passed; vote recorded as passing in meeting minutes). - Consent agenda (financial reports, purchasing, bids including Fountain Elementary demolition bid, personnel report): approved unanimously. - Principal appointments (Kelvin Griffin, Joy Duncan Harris, LaDonna Elliott, Wendell Spann): each confirmed unanimously.

Board chair and superintendent remarks focused on the need to balance employee compensation commitments with the district's cash-flow and fund balance requirements. Ms. Bivens emphasized the budget is a projection and noted key assumptions, including a 7% increase in projected local property tax revenue and a 3% annual salary/benefit inflation assumption in multi-year forecasts.

The board scheduled follow-up and emphasized that future years will require continued attention to fund balance management; projections shown at the meeting indicated the district would use fund balance in FY27 but begin to recover by 2029-2030 under the presented assumptions.

The meeting adjourned after the votes.