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In May, following two public hearings, the Board of Education approved the FY2025 Tentative Budget proposed by Superintendent Dr. Mike Looney.
Fulton County Schools (FCS) is committed to sound financial practices and fiscal transparency. The FY2025 budget reflects these principles by focusing resources on key priorities, primarily student achievement.
Throughout the budget development process, FCS has prioritized transparency. Numerous workshops and public meetings were held to gather input from staff, school leaders, and stakeholders. Detailed presentations of the Pension Fund, School Nutrition Fund, and Special Revenue Fund budgets were made at the March 21 board meeting. The Comprehensive General Fund and Capital Improvement Program budgets were presented at the April 16 board meeting.
Key Highlights of the FY2025 Tentative Budget:
Employee Compensation: The budget includes a 4.5% increase and a step increase for all eligible employees valued at $56 million. The budget also includes significantly increased employer contribution costs for retirement and health care benefits as mandated by the state.
Transition from ESSER: FCS has been planning for the end of federal COVID related funding, formally known as ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief), for more than a year. The upcoming FY2025 budget includes $24.4 million in funding to transition high priority and effective ESSER initiative items to the General Fund, including Instructional Coaches and Summer Learning costs.
Lowest Property Taxes: The Superintendent is proposing to reduce the millage rate to 17.13 for the 2025 property tax year, ensuring that Fulton County maintains one of the lowest school property taxes in the metro area.
Next Steps: The Board is expected to finalize adoption of the budget on June 11. Public hearings and the adoption of the millage rate are anticipated in July, contingent on the availability of the tax digest.
Breakdown of the FY2025 Tentative Budget:
| General Fund |
$ |
1,422,055,825 |
| School Nutrition Fund |
$ |
57,085,647 |
| Special Revenue Fund |
$ |
92,314,586 |
| Capital Program Fund |
$ |
660,668,166 |
| Pension Fund |
$ |
42,099,757 |
| Student Activity Fund |
$ |
19,255,290 |
| Total Appropriation for All Funds |
$ |
2,293,479,271 |
For complete details of the tentative budget, including salary schedules, provisos, School Allotment Guidelines, and the five-year capital program, please refer to the FY25 Budget Book here.
For more information about the budget process, watch Chief Financial Officer Marvin Dereef's interview with Dr. Looney on "Let's Talk Schools" here.
Thank you for your continued support as we work together to ensure the success and achievement of our students.
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