At its Thursday, June 13 meeting, the Clarke County Board of Education gave final approval of a fiscal year 2025 General Fund budget of $241,728,372 and voted to maintain the school millage rate at 18.8 mills for a third consecutive year. 

The vote comes after three required public budget presentations and millage rate hearings and additional board discussions which resulted in some changes to the tentative budget the board previously approved at its May 9 meeting. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

The budget, which represents a roughly $27.6 million increase over the current fiscal year, includes additional investments highlighting the district’s three arching priorities in its 2024-2029 Strategic Plan – Thriving Students, Optimized Talent, and Connected Culture. Further, it provides funding for new state mandates and district initiatives, including:

• state-required $2,500 salary increases for all certified employees and a $1,000 salary supplement for custodians. The board also voted to extend $2,500 salary increases to all district classified staff (an increase from the $1,750 amount in the tentative budget). These pay increases are in addition to the annual step increases that will be given to all eligible employees.

• $47,000 per school in additional funding for school security improvements as part of the state budget approved by the General Assembly and signed by Gov. Brian Kemp. This is an increase from the initial anticipated amount of $45,000 per school. 

• $5.25 million to absorb increases in the amount of employee state health insurance costs covered by the district as well as an increase in the amount the district contributes to each eligible employee’s teacher retirement system benefits.

• several new positions – including a buildout of staff at the new CCSD Learning Center (alternative education) location in the former Rutland Academy building on Oglethorpe Avenue; additional mental health counselors at Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central high schools as well as each of the district’s four middle schools; an additional paraprofessional at each of the district’s 14 elementary schools; and other district support staff across various divisions and departments. The board initially had two additional paraprofessionals per elementary school in the tentative budget but reduced the amount to one based on feedback received from principals. 

Due to growth in the county’s tax digest, there is an expected increase of 7.36% for property taxes levied in 2024. While the millage rate remains at 18.8 mills, overall property-tax collections are projected to increase by 1.289 mills. Some property owners will see a school-tax increase on their tax bill, and some may not – depending on their property’s assessed value in 2024 compared to 2023. Reassessment notices with estimated tax amounts were sent out by the Athens-Clarke County Tax Assessor’s Office in May. 

More information on the FY2025 budget and school millage rate is available here.