Presenter outlines tentative FY26–27 budget showing 3.8% rise driven by capital projects
July 20, 2026 | Nassau, School Districts, Florida
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Presenter for the Nassau County School Board led a July 20 workshop to review the district’s tentative fiscal 2026–27 budget, saying the replacement budget sheet shows proposed operating expenditures are “3.8% more” than last year and that the increase is driven by capital spending rather than higher millage.
The presentation matters because the board must advertise the tentative millage and budget before its July 30 meeting and will not adopt a final budget until Sept. 8. That advertising step establishes the highest rate the district can show publicly; the board may later reduce the millage before final adoption, the Chair said.
At the workshop, the Presenter summarized the budget process and the district’s work to identify reductions. “We have asked each department to look at deducting 15 to 30% of their current budget,” the Presenter said, and added that over the last two years many departments had reduced spending by roughly 30%, with the notable exception of technology and other units that have rising maintenance and support costs. The Presenter also thanked Ellen Harper and departmental staff for working ‘‘night and day’’ to prepare numbers.
Board members and staff discussed funding drivers and constraints. The Presenter said recent state-calculation updates — received late last week — changed the district’s allocation figures used to convert an approved state budget into the district’s working numbers. The Presenter said the state-approved package includes an $85 per full-time-equivalent student increase but cautioned the amount must be parsed to account for included items such as teacher-lead funds and other earmarks.
Enrollment and family-empowerment payments were flagged as material uncertainties. The Presenter said the district has seen withdrawals tied to family-empowerment choices that lower projected enrollment and unit allocations; staff cited last year’s family-empowerment cost at about $12,000,000 and said this year’s figure is currently projected at $14,000,000. The Presenter noted the district tracks withdrawals closely during the first weeks of the school year because each lost FTE reduces per-classroom funding.
A committee member pressed the group on capital millage, noting last year’s capital millage was 1.4 while the distributed sheet shows 1.5. “For the record, I would not support a tax increase,” the committee member said. Staff explained that ‘‘required local effort’’ is set by the state and not under local discretion; the Presenter and staff said the millage rate in the working materials is consistent with allowable levels and that capital expenditures are being treated separately from operating-salary accounts.
The Presenter also described work with outside vendors and partners: the district is converting budget materials to an online format using ClearGov to give board members a summarized, searchable view of budget details rather than issuing large printed binders. Staff also said they will meet with Ford and Associates about funding options for approved construction projects.
On charter schools, the Presenter said the new Cornerstone Classical Academy must enroll students before the district begins paying funds to the charter. “They do not get anything until they have students,” the Presenter said, and staff listed five areas — finance, safety, mental-health coordination, student-information sharing and HR certification of teachers — that require district collaboration before the charter opens and enrolls students. The Presenter indicated district payments to the charter would begin only after enrollment and a funding start date cited in the workshop as August 2027.
Next steps: staff will prepare the legal advertisements required for the tentative millage and budget and return to the board at a July 30 meeting for further review; the board’s final adoption date is scheduled for Sept. 8. The Presenter also asked whether the board wanted a printed budget book; members were told all materials will be available online and staff can provide printed notebooks on request.
No formal motions or votes were recorded during the workshop portion of the meeting; a separate regular meeting followed the workshop agenda.
The presentation matters because the board must advertise the tentative millage and budget before its July 30 meeting and will not adopt a final budget until Sept. 8. That advertising step establishes the highest rate the district can show publicly; the board may later reduce the millage before final adoption, the Chair said.
At the workshop, the Presenter summarized the budget process and the district’s work to identify reductions. “We have asked each department to look at deducting 15 to 30% of their current budget,” the Presenter said, and added that over the last two years many departments had reduced spending by roughly 30%, with the notable exception of technology and other units that have rising maintenance and support costs. The Presenter also thanked Ellen Harper and departmental staff for working ‘‘night and day’’ to prepare numbers.
Board members and staff discussed funding drivers and constraints. The Presenter said recent state-calculation updates — received late last week — changed the district’s allocation figures used to convert an approved state budget into the district’s working numbers. The Presenter said the state-approved package includes an $85 per full-time-equivalent student increase but cautioned the amount must be parsed to account for included items such as teacher-lead funds and other earmarks.
Enrollment and family-empowerment payments were flagged as material uncertainties. The Presenter said the district has seen withdrawals tied to family-empowerment choices that lower projected enrollment and unit allocations; staff cited last year’s family-empowerment cost at about $12,000,000 and said this year’s figure is currently projected at $14,000,000. The Presenter noted the district tracks withdrawals closely during the first weeks of the school year because each lost FTE reduces per-classroom funding.
A committee member pressed the group on capital millage, noting last year’s capital millage was 1.4 while the distributed sheet shows 1.5. “For the record, I would not support a tax increase,” the committee member said. Staff explained that ‘‘required local effort’’ is set by the state and not under local discretion; the Presenter and staff said the millage rate in the working materials is consistent with allowable levels and that capital expenditures are being treated separately from operating-salary accounts.
The Presenter also described work with outside vendors and partners: the district is converting budget materials to an online format using ClearGov to give board members a summarized, searchable view of budget details rather than issuing large printed binders. Staff also said they will meet with Ford and Associates about funding options for approved construction projects.
On charter schools, the Presenter said the new Cornerstone Classical Academy must enroll students before the district begins paying funds to the charter. “They do not get anything until they have students,” the Presenter said, and staff listed five areas — finance, safety, mental-health coordination, student-information sharing and HR certification of teachers — that require district collaboration before the charter opens and enrolls students. The Presenter indicated district payments to the charter would begin only after enrollment and a funding start date cited in the workshop as August 2027.
Next steps: staff will prepare the legal advertisements required for the tentative millage and budget and return to the board at a July 30 meeting for further review; the board’s final adoption date is scheduled for Sept. 8. The Presenter also asked whether the board wanted a printed budget book; members were told all materials will be available online and staff can provide printed notebooks on request.
No formal motions or votes were recorded during the workshop portion of the meeting; a separate regular meeting followed the workshop agenda.
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