Clayton County board hears FY26 budget presentation; teachers press for raises and clarity

Kim, a finance department staff member, presented the Clayton County Board of Education's tentative fiscal year 2026 budget at an 11 a.m. public hearing, saying the district proposes to maintain its millage rate at 19.6 and projects $728,750,901 in general fund revenue against $741,000,794 in general fund expenditures.

The presentation said the district expects a beginning general fund balance of $160,000,000 and a projected June 30, 2026 ending balance of $147,750,107 after an estimated $12,249,893 shortfall. All-funds budget totals shown were $1,504,660,273, with the general fund representing roughly 49% and capital projects about 43% of that figure. The presenter said the preliminary digest from the tax commissioner's office showed about a 2% increase in property values and that the district's 1-mill value is much lower than some neighboring districts, which limits revenue capacity.

The proposed budget package listed the following fund totals: general fund revenue $728,750,901; special revenue $31,141,000; capital projects $647,351,000; debt service $35,947,000; and enterprise fund $49,219,000. The presenter identified several cost drivers, including an increase in employer contributions to TRS (reported from 20.78 to 21.6) and higher classified-employee contributions described as increasing to $20,040 annually for some positions; the presenter attributed roughly $11.9 million of classified-employee costs and another $4.1 million for TRS-related increases to the district's out-of-pocket obligations. The enterprise fund was shown to include school nutrition (about $44,000,000) and revenue from the performing arts center, the Campus Kids program and print services.

Public comment focused on employee compensation, staffing priorities and transparency. Mayika Smoot, president of the Clayton County Education Association, said she took professional leave to attend the midday hearing and criticized the timing and outreach for staff. "I am here and not in school because you all are holding a public hearing at 11:00 where all staff are in school," Smoot said. She urged the board to prioritize salary increases and questioned why the budget includes a new Student Employment Services division rather than placing that function under CTAE or reallocating funds to classroom positions.

Smoot said teachers are leaving and asked the board to explain line-item changes, citing a swing in funding for "graduation coaches" from about $300,000 to more than $5,000,000 in a prior year and then back to zero this year. "When I come before this body is that we don't get any answers," she said, asking the board to follow the money and make the rationale clear to staff and the public.

Board leaders responded that a second required public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27 at 5:30 p.m., with final adoption of the tentative millage rate set for 6 p.m. that same evening. Chairman Straker said he planned a board-hosted webinar to explain the budget from board members' perspectives and to allow teachers and community members to ask questions; he said the finance department would provide an overview for that webinar. "What I'm gonna do this year is make sure that you get your information," Straker said.

Board member Chelsea Cooper said she is "digging down" into the budget and will ask questions of staff and colleagues before any final decisions. Another board member who addressed the hearing urged considering using fund balance for employee pay increases rather than letting staff depart.

No formal vote occurred at the hearing. The presenter said the district would receive a final digest from the tax commissioner's office later in summer and that administrative hearings, if required, would follow in July or August with final millage adoption in August if needed.

The board set the next public hearing and the final millage adoption meeting for May 27; staff said webinar details and a finance overview for the webinar would be posted to help explain line-item changes and staffing impacts.

The hearing record included several specific figures and program names that the board and staff said they would clarify before final adoption, and board members asked staff to provide additional breakdowns and explanations to address teachers' concerns before the May 27 vote.