NEWTON COUNTY –  Newton County Schools is proposing a decline of approximately $1.4 million in its upcoming  budget.

At the Newton County Board of Education’s April 14 work session, a figure of $268.8 million  was proposed for the fiscal year 2027 budget. This is a slight decrease from the $270.2 million amended FY26 budget, as district leaders confront declining enrollment, shifting revenue sources and ongoing concerns about a structural gap between revenues and expenditures.

“The objective of this budget was to pursue strategic reductions while maintaining operational integrity and our focus on academics,” said Superintendent Duke Bradley III.

Despite those reductions, the district continues to project spending above expected revenues. Officials estimate revenues at roughly $250 million, leaving a gap of nearly $19 million compared to the proposed budget.

“I’m scared to death with a $269 million budget,” said Trey Bailey, District 1 representative, voicing concerns about the imbalance.

Bailey later added that the gap between revenues and expenditures highlights a broader structural challenge. 

“If five comes in and we decide we’re going to spend eight, you’re going to run out of money at some point,” Bailey said. “The only way to save money is to spend less than you bring in.”

The FY27 proposal reflects a shift in how the district is funded. State funding totals $135.3 million, or 54% of the budget, while local funding accounts for $114.6 million, or 46%. In comparison, state funds made up 58% of the FY26 budget. State funding decreased by $7.4 million, while local funding increased by $11.7 million.

Enrollment is projected to decline to 18,292 students, down from 18,747 this year. As a result, per-pupil spending is expected to increase to $14,695 from $14,414.

Salaries and benefits remain the largest expense at $239.3 million, with instruction accounting for $157.1 million of the total budget.

Board members also raised concerns about approving a tentative budget before final state revenue figures are available.

Administrators said a tentative budget is required to move the process forward but can be revised as updated revenue information becomes available.

“The board would have to adopt a spending resolution every month until a budget is passed,” said Erica Robinson, chief financial officer, referencing the legal timeline required for budget adoption.

Division budget reductions 

Budget adjustments across divisions reflected a mix of increases and reductions.

Within the Division of Learning and Leadership, alternative programming decreased to $133,740 from $148,600, while assessment, accountability, research and evaluation increased to $1,068,700. Athletics rose to $133,035, and CTAE remained unchanged at $551,566.

Gifted and intervention programs decreased to $133,998, and psychology declined slightly to $40,050. School leadership dropped to $67,500, while special education remained flat at $165,500. 

Student services increased to $539,431, and teaching and learning rose to $1,947,504. Textbooks see a significant reduction, dropping to $2,996,176 from $3,638,309.

In the Division of Operations, safety and security decreased to $1,087,357, while transportation dropped to $3,827,353. Maintenance and operations saw a slight increase to $10,341,379.

The Division of Strategy and Support Services reflected reductions across all areas, including instructional technology at $699,592 and technology services at $1,268,689.

Human resources is budgeted at $278,642, down from $302,841, while public relations decreased to $244,545.

In the Division of Business Services, general administration declined to $446,600, support services fell to $122,143 and school budgets decreased to $1,607,660.

Long-term solutions debated 

Beyond departmental budgets, board members debated long-term solutions to address structural shortfalls, including a potential local option sales tax.

“We had legislation sitting on our senator’s desk this year with our name on it,” Bailey said. “That’s an extra penny. I think our community would say, ‘Hey, we’ll pay an extra penny.’”

He estimated the measure could generate about $25 million annually.

Bradley acknowledged the difficulty of balancing reductions with the needs of students and staff.

“This is hard work,” Bradley said. “[It] really began with just one-on-one conversations with me saying ‘No, please go back and find additional cuts.’ That’s really hard to do when you’ve got people that care so deeply about the integrity of their programs.”

District leaders said the proposal reflects months of effort to identify savings while preserving instructional priorities, but noted that uncertainty remains due to enrollment declines and pending state funding decisions.