Sarasota School Board approves tentative budget and millage

The Sarasota County School Board unanimously approved its annual tentative budget and millage rates for the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year, on July 29, as the district faces a difficult financial situation.

The budget totals $1,355,312,054, while is a decrease from last year's final budget of $1,771,250,908. Total expenditures are projected at $1,055,333,992.

The proposed millage rate was 6.095 mils per $1,000 of taxable property value, a decrease from last year's 6.131 mills.

That means year, taxpayers will incur $609.50 in school taxes for every $100,000 of taxable value, a decrease of $3.50 per $100,000.

The final budget hearing will be Sept. 16.

During a July 22 school board meeting, Superintendent of Schools Terry Connor cited numerous reasons the district was facing constraints to its budget this year. 

Some factors included rising costs in areas including utilities, health insurance, transportation, construction and facilities, and cuts to weighted funding equivalent to 200 students in the state budget.

Connor also noted the cost of Skye Ranch School, which opens this year and which he said is intended to manage overpopulation at other schools. 

The budget notes an initial enrollment of 679 students at Skye Ranch. The total enrollment of students in Sarasota schools totals 4,732 up from 3,929 last year.

Connor said the district was taking numerous measures to control costs.

He said the district had initiated a summer staffing process during June and July, which involved switching staff to new positions, with reductions across all departments. 

"The fact remains is that 80% of our budget is based off staff, and so, the last thing we want to do is impact the classroom," he said. "The sanctity of the classroom is what we're trying to preserve, meaning keeping class sizes manageable, making sure they have the right resources."