Cobb school board tentatively adopts FY 2025 budget

Cobb schools FY 2025 budget proposes 4.4-9 percent pay raises

UPDATED:

The school board voted 7-0 Thursday night to tentatively adopt the budget, meaning it can be advertised publicly and receive public feedback before a final vote is scheduled for May 16.

Proposed FY 2025 budget documents can be found by clicking here.

ORIGINAL REPORT:

The Cobb County School District’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget includes staff pay raises that average 6 percent.

Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said at a Cobb Board of Education work session Thursday that teachers, administrators and other full-time employees will receive raises ranging from 4.4 percent to 9 percent.

The proposed $1.85 billion spending is “an employee-centric” budget, Ragsdale said during a presentation.

The budget would maintain a property tax rate of 18.7 mills, holding from last year, when the school board reduced that rate by 0.2 percent to offset rising assessments.

Brad Johnson, the district’s chief financial officer, told board members that the projected Cobb tax digest growth in 2024 is 7.5 percent, compared to 14.6 percent in 2023.

“We need to be aware of a drop like that and keep it in mind” when making budget decisions, he said.

The board also was scheduled to hold a public forum on the budget proposal and to tentatively approve it Thursday night.

Another budget forum will take place on May 16, the date the board is scheduled to finalize the budget.

This story will be updated.

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