Decatur board adopts $135.7M FY2027 budget after debate over Early Childhood Learning Center funding and teacher pay

The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education voted June 11 to adopt a $135,679,376 FY2027 budget after extended discussion about priorities, notably funding for a proposed Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) and teacher compensation. The budget keeps the millage at 20.30 mills; due to rising property values residents will see a roughly 0.95% tax increase.

CFO Dr. Lonita Brun presented the final budget, saying projected revenues total about $113.2 million against expenditures of about $120 million and that the district will use roughly $6.8 million of fund balance to balance the general fund. The projected ending fund balance is approximately $13.7 million, or about 11.4% of expenditures, within board guidance.

Board members pressed staff for clarity on two tradeoffs: ongoing salary competitiveness for teachers and the capital and operating costs tied to the ECLC. Several members praised recent raises that moved entry‑level teacher pay toward regional competitiveness but said middle‑career step compression and long‑term sustainability remain priorities. One board member described the board’s multi‑year compensation work as successful at addressing entry pay but said next steps must examine how steps and mid‑career increases are calibrated.

The proposed ECLC funding and financing pathway featured prominently. Earlier in the meeting staff had outlined potential gap financing using New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) and letters of interest from community development entities (CDEs). Some board members and many public commenters said the district should not finalize or spend ECLC‑designated funds until an explicit financing plan is secured; others argued preserving the ECLC appropriation in the budget is prudent to keep options open.

To bridge those positions the board adopted an amendment: if the ECLC appropriation is not needed or ultimately not used, those funds will be reserved for district staff bonuses (to be returned to the board for allocation). The board approved the budget on a roll‑call vote.

Superintendent Dr. Gina Whitaker told the board that amendments and budget changes can be made by later board action if the financing picture changes, and that staff will bring back any necessary budget amendments.

The board also scheduled three public millage hearings and will finalize the adopted tax rate after public input. The district’s next regular meeting is scheduled for August 11, 2026.

Ending: The district adopted the FY2027 budget with an amendment tying unused ECLC funds to staff compensation; next steps include public millage hearings and continued work on funding options for the ECLC and on rationalizing teacher step increases.