The School Board of Alachua County (SBAC) approved its final budget and millage rates at a public meeting on Wednesday. With all millage rates added together, the millage rates come to 6.2610 mills for a $612,765,789.64 budget. 

The ACPS rates for FY2024-25 include 3.0130 mills for the regular district tax, as required by the state for Alachua County Public School’s (ACPS) “required local effort” in order to receive state funding. The district will also levy a discretionary 0.7480 mills for operations, a 1.5 mill for capital outlay, and plans on a 1.5 mill in additional voted millage for various school programs and positions. 

The total millage rate of 6.2610 proposed for 2024-25 exceeds the rollback rate of 6.0087 by 4.2%. Last year’s actual total rate was 6.4320, but the rollback rate calculates the rate that would raise the same amount of revenue as the year before when applied to all except new construction, additions and other adjustments. 

Of $297,844,716 in the budget’s general fund appropriations, $161,864,801 is appropriated for salaries. Another $65,463,426 is set aside for employee services and $1,140,497 for capital outlay. The rest is split between purchased services, energy services, materials and supplies and others. 

The capital projects fund is estimated to bring in $68,823,664 in revenue, in addition to an existing fund balance of $83,868,806. 

The district’s Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding from the COVID-19 pandemic closes on Sept. 30, so multiple staff positions are moving to be funded by the general fund, adding a $1,412,686.36 cost for their salaries and benefits. 

In January, ACPS submitted its projected Full Time Enrollment (FTE) numbers to the Florida Department of Education. The district chose the most conservative option at that time, 31,942.68, anticipating reduced enrollment due to more private and charter schools opening in the area. 

As of Sept. 9, the district’s student count was 31,237.25, with 2,036 in charter schools and 189 in the district’s virtual school. The state funding will be adjusted to reflect actual numbers in January. 

Gabrielle Jaremczuk, chief of finance, said enrollment in ACPS, except in center locations, is trending downward, which may result in a $3.6 million loss. 

Board Member Tina Certain said the district cannot continue using the 1.5 capital mill to plug holes in the budget left by declining FTE and the loss of ESSER funding. 

“I know our hands are tied in the sense of having to vote for this so that we can be funded. But our organization and our superintendent has not done, I think, due diligence in working with the board to come up with how we’re going to spend our estimated revenue,” Certain said at the meeting, noting that she did not receive the budgetary information until 4 p.m. on Wednesday, before the 5:30 p.m. meeting. 

Board Chair Diyonne McGraw, who said staff notified her in advance that the packets would not be available much in advance, thanked staff and also requested more budget workshops moving forward.  

Board Member Sarah Rockwell also thanked staff, particularly Jaremczuk who joined ACPS staff only about three months ago, but stressed the importance of timely receipt of information. Other board members also thanked staff for their hard work and noted that the district needs to figure out how to cut costs in the future. 

“I have grace, and I have empathy for your situation… but as a board member, we are statutorily liable for this budget, and for these things that we approve, that we submit,” Rockwell said. 

A motion from Rockwell to approve the millage rates passed unanimously, and another motion by Board Member Leanetta McNealy to approve the budget passed 4-1, with Certain dissenting.