Coffee County board hears budget shortfall, district remains below state per-pupil spending

The Coffee County Board of Education heard April financial results and a second public budget hearing showing a proposed fiscal‑year 2026 deficit of about $2,732,521, finance director Tracy Bradford told the board.

Bradford said the district began the fiscal year with $29,653,557.59 and reported year‑to‑date revenues of $70,354,471.62 and expenditures of $64,878,790.25 through April, leaving an end‑of‑month fund equity balance of $35,108,229.64.

The budget summary Bradford presented lists estimated FY26 general fund revenues of $92,131,183 and estimated expenditures of $92,945,704, producing the roughly $2.73 million deficit. Bradford told the board she expects an anticipated security grant of about $564,000 has not yet been received in formal documentation; if secured, that would reduce the deficit to about $2.1 million.

Bradford also reported the district expects to end fiscal year 2026 with an estimated fund balance of $27,471,036 after accounting for the projected deficit. She cited an increase of roughly $2.5 million in benefit costs driven by higher TRS contributions and health‑insurance expenses as a major factor in the gap.

The board discussed scheduling a short called meeting to approve the budget. Board members and staff discussed holding that meeting on May 27 at 7:30 a.m., to satisfy the two‑week notice window required between advertising the proposed budget and final approval.

In the same session, a board member (presentation materials attributed to Bradford) walked the board through federal‑ and state‑level per‑pupil spending comparisons. Coffee County per‑pupil spending figures from the governor’s Office of Student Achievement and other sources shown in the presentation placed Coffee County at $12,894.08 per pupil for 2023–24, compared with a Georgia average of $14,053.38 for the same year. Bradford framed the district’s numbers as evidence of operating efficiency relative to neighboring counties and regional averages.

Board discussion included questions about the $400,000 month‑to‑month drop in fund balance and whether identifiable expenditures — such as benefit increases or one‑time charges — explained the change. Bradford said last year’s budget included an intentional deficit and that staff continues to monitor expenditures and revenues.

No formal budget vote was recorded during the hearing; board members set the next steps for a called meeting to consider final approval.