Murfreesboro City Schools present $117.9M FY26 budget, projects 9,440 students and 3.8% state funding increase

Murfreesboro City Schools officials on May 22 presented a proposed fiscal year 2026 budget the district’s board has approved and asked the city council to consider as part of the city’s June 5 adoption. The presentation estimated about $111,943,000 in revenues and $117,907,000 in expenditures for FY26, a draw from reserves of about $5,900,000, and projected enrollment near 9,440 students.

The school presenter (Murfreesboro City Schools) said, “next year, by state law, it's required that the starting teacher pay be 50,000,” and stated the district plans a starting teacher salary of $50,500 for FY26. The presenter added that teachers would see an average increase of about 3.8 percent next year and that employees not on the teacher scale would see a 2.5 percent adjustment; the district also budgets additional compensation for hard‑to‑staff roles such as special education and behavior positions.

Why it matters: the schools account for a large share of local public spending and staffing; the district’s proposed operating increases and planned use of reserves were presented as intentional steps to meet instructional and facility needs while keeping a fund balance above the board’s 10 percent target.

Presentation highlights included: projected state funding growth of about 3.7 percent (roughly $2.3 million), local sales tax and other local revenues budgeted at maintenance‑of‑effort levels, and a planned pull from reserves partly attributable to one‑time items such as a state bonus pass‑through and a new textbook adoption expected to cost about $1 million. The presenter said the district set aside about $3.1 million related to the purchase of a transportation and maintenance facility (excluded from operating comparison), and that the nutrition program will intentionally draw down roughly $1.8 million of school‑nutrition reserves to reach a target fund balance the state expects.

Council members discussed longer‑term enrollment and facilities planning. The presenter said uncertainty remains around the state’s Education Freedom Scholarship accounts and charter school enrollments; staff forecast that August will provide better clarity for any school‑capacity or rezoning decisions. One council member asked whether rapid growth will require a new school within two years; staff replied that it is too early to know and pledged to use existing space and consider rezoning or additions before proposing new construction.

No formal vote on the school budget occurred during the May 22 meeting; the schools’ budget will be included in the city’s final FY26 readings on June 5.