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Chatham County Board approves $137.6 million budget amendment amid charter enrollment and fund-balance pressures
Summary
Board approved the first 2025-26 budget amendment totaling $137,607,289.89. Officials cited a surprise increase in charter enrollment, prior one-time uses of fund balance for staff investments, and a need to recalibrate local-funded programs including stipends.
The Chatham County Board of Education approved budget amendment No. 1 for the 2025-26 school year on Nov. 3, setting a total amended budget of $137,607,289.89.
Finance staff summarized fund movements: a $508,334 increase in the state public school fund tied to specific allocations (digital learning allotments, principal bonuses and federal grants adjustments), a $1.7 million decrease in the local current expense fund reflecting actual county appropriations and strategic reductions, and a $2.9 million increase in federal grants (including CTE and Title programs). Capital outlay remained at $2.6 million and child nutrition at $6.5 million, with minor adjustments to scholarship estimates (SEG 1518-1536; SEG 1906-1935).
Officials emphasized drivers of local fiscal pressure, including an unexpected increase of roughly 100 charter-school students that required roughly $700,000 in pass-through payments from the district's fund balance and prior one-time investments in retention bonuses, ESS contract staffing, and arts allocations made after COVID (SEG 1609-1622; SEG 1678-1695). Superintendent Jackson and finance staff said the district has used fund balance in prior years to support staffing and initiatives and that the current amendments balance funds across state, federal and local accounts.
The board moved to approve the amendment (motion at SEG 2001), seconded (SEG 2004) and approved by voice vote (SEG 2007-2009). The superintendent asked for time after the vote to address related personnel and stipend questions raised by public comment, and staff indicated they would follow up with more details on the stipend and master's-pay implementation.
Board members asked clarifying questions about fund-balance policy, whether fund balance is discretionary, and how previously approved initiatives (retention bonuses, meals program, pre-k slots) had influenced the need to hold 25% of some budgets in reserve to manage uncertainty. Officials said they had communicated budget pressures to principals since May and that requests for county reimbursement tied to charter funding had been made but not yet resolved.
The amendment takes effect immediately; finance staff will post the amended fund summaries and return with any additional details requested by the board.
