Lexington One board gives direction to advertise fiscal 2025–26 budget with full ‘Option 3A’ package

The Lexington County School District One Board of Trustees on May 20 completed a second reading of the district’s fiscal year 2025–26 general fund budget and directed administration to advertise the budget at the maximum level presented (Option 3A), which includes roughly $11 million from fund balance to cover “would like to do” additions.

Board members, the superintendent’s office and finance staff spent more than two hours questioning assumptions, revenue risks and planned new positions before arriving at that course. Finance director Lindsey Miller outlined a still-open state funding question that could increase district revenue by about $750,000 if the legislature changes the charter-school weighting in the state aid formula; she also described recent increases the district must absorb, including higher workers’ compensation and property insurance quotes and rising state costs for hazardous-route pay and stop adjustments.

“Right now, that is just in discussions…if we did have the change, it did look like it would increase, potentially, our revenue by $750,000,” Lindsey Miller, chief financial officer, told the board. Miller said the district reran projections through April 30 and still expected “a pretty much break-even year” absent additional legislative changes.

Why this matters

The board’s maximum-advertisement direction preserves the widest set of options for the June public hearing and final vote while complying with state…