Clayton County Board tentatively adopts FY26 budget; board approves moving to public hearings 7–1

The Clayton County Board of Education voted 7–1 to tentatively adopt the superintendent’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and move the proposal to the required public‑hearing phase.

Mr. Harrington (staff member) opened the presentation and said the district’s general fund would remain the primary focus. Ms. Bivens (staff member, business services) presented detailed revenue and expenditure figures: the budget projects $728,750,009 in total revenues across all funds and proposed general‑fund expenditures of $741,000,000, producing a projected general‑fund deficit of $12,200,000. The presentation showed a projected beginning general‑fund balance of about $160,000,000 and an estimated June 2026 fund balance of approximately $147,800,000 after the proposed spending.

Key items the board and staff highlighted:

- Property tax projections: staff used an estimated tax digest increase of about 2% in the current tax year, producing projected current‑year property‑tax revenue of $251,000,000 at the recommended 19.6 millage rate and a 99% collection rate. - One‑time staff payment: the superintendent proposed a $1,500 one‑time payment to all full‑time employees (32+ hours/week) at a projected total cost of $9.9 million, to be funded from the district’s fund balance. - Student employment/services division: a proposed new division at a net cost of $1.4 million next year; staff said $400,000 per year is pledged from Delta (through the foundation) for five years but that the funds had not yet been received and would flow through the district foundation. - Retirement and benefits: the employer TRS (Teachers’ Retirement System) contribution is projected to rise from 20.78% to 21.91%, a $12.7 million increase of which staff estimated about $4.1 million would be the district’s net cost after state reimbursement for certified positions. Classified employee health insurance increases from $16,666 to $20,040 per employee annually, an estimated district cost of about $11.9 million. - Capital and bond activity: the presentation included bond proceeds and capital‑projects spending; staff said a recent bond solicitation returned a lowest bid of about 5.12% and the district was considering private placement to lower issuance costs.

Board members questioned the sustainability of new, grant‑dependent positions and the prudence of drawing on fund balance. Several members supported the student employment initiative as an investment; others urged caution about recurring commitments tied to temporary sponsorships. Ms. Bivens said the district would seek corporate sponsorships and revisit funding if sponsorships did not materialize.

After discussion, the board voted to tentatively adopt the FY26 budget and to proceed with two public hearings (one May 5 at 11 a.m. and another May 27 at 5:30 p.m.) and a final adoption scheduled for late July or August, consistent with county digest timing.