written by: Laurie Fleck, Director of Public Relations, Carrollton City Schools
CARROLLTON, GA — Carrollton City Schools Board of Education tentatively approved a general operating budget of $75,921,888 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year at the board’s regular meeting on Tuesday, May 6.
To support the district’s continued growth and operations, the proposed budget includes increased funding for personnel-related costs including a significant increase in health insurance; higher operational costs associated with the district’s growing campus; continued investments in school safety, such as an additional school resource officer and updated security cameras; rising transportation expenses due to fuel prices; and increased costs to maintain a safe and reliable bus fleet for daily routes and school-related activities.
Dr. Mark Albertus said that the proposed budget supports the district’s continued commitment to providing a safe, supportive and high-quality learning environment.
“We are investing in our people, our growing campus, and systems that support daily operations so that we can continue to meet the needs of our students and staff,” he said. “Like everyone, we’ve felt the impact of rising costs, and we are committed to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars to manage those increases without compromising the high-quality education our community expects.”
In addition to the general operating budget, the district approved other key funding components, including anticipated capital projects, funded through the SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax); special revenue expenditures supported by federal programs; federally funded school nutrition services; and debt service obligations.
The school system operates on a fiscal year from July 1 until June 30 of the following year. The budget is based on revenue estimates, including anticipated state funding and current projections for local property tax revenue.
The board held its first of two public hearings after the tentative approval. The next public hearing will be held on June 2, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. at the Carrollton High School Culinary Cafe, 201 Trojan Drive, Carrollton, Georgia. The final budget is slated for approval during the regular meeting on June 3. More details on the budget can be found at www.carrolltoncityschools.net/about-us/budget-finance.
