Palm Beach School Board unanimously adopts 6.321 mills and $5.9 billion FY2026 budget
Loading...
Summary
The Palm Beach County School Board voted unanimously to levy a total millage rate of 6.321 mills and adopt a $5,899,706,636 district budget for fiscal year 2025-26. Board staff said state rules limit the board's discretion and noted property values rose 5.1% while per-student state funding increased 1.3%.
The Palm Beach County School Board on Wednesday adopted a total millage rate of 6.321 mills and approved the district's final fiscal year 2026 budget of $5,899,706,636 by unanimous votes.
Superintendent Michael Burke presented the millage resolution, saying the levy 'which the board recorded as 6.321 mills' would raise $2,271,641,302 in local revenue and is composed of 3.062 mills for required local effort, 0.011 mills for prior period adjustment, 0.748 mills for discretionary operating funds, 1.5 mills for local capital improvement, and 1.0 mills for additional operating funds. Burke told the board the adopted rate is 4.06% above the rollback rate set to generate the same amount of revenue as the prior year.
District finance staff emphasized the board's constrained role under state law: property values in the district rose about 5.1% this year while the state's per-student funding increase was approximately 1.3%, leaving the district to manage a more modest revenue outlook despite higher assessments. The finance presentation showed the general-fund portion of the budget is roughly $3.2 billion and estimated the average homeowner with taxable value of $275,000 would pay about $1.93 more than last year.
Public comment ahead of the vote highlighted concerns about teacher pay. Gordon Longhofer, president of the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association, urged the board to prioritize compensation, saying, "Florida is fiftieth in the country in teacher salary" and noting a local base average of about $62,200 while thousands of county teachers earn less. Longhofer told the board investments in pay and benefits are essential to keeping teachers focused on student achievement.
After discussion, the board moved and unanimously approved the millage-resolution (B-1) and later the district summary budget (B-2). Chair Karen Burrell called both votes; motions were seconded and carried without recorded opposition.
The district will file the adopted millage and budget as required by Truth in Millage (TRIM) rules. Budget staff told the board they will continue to monitor enrollment changes, state-level proposals (including any property-tax adjustments), and federal or local factors that could affect future budgets. The board scheduled further budget adjustments and amendments as needed once updated state revenue projections are available.
The final action at the hearing was routine: the board adjourned the budget hearing and returned to the workshop schedule.
