TRENTON, GA – With little discussion and no objections, the Dade County Board of Education on Monday approved a $26.5 million operational general fund budget for the 2025-2026 school year, finalizing a plan that sees spending exceed revenue by approximately $2.7 million.
The vote followed the legally required third reading of the budget during the board’s regular monthly meeting. The final budget outlines $26,499,766 in expenditures against an anticipated $23,794,520 in revenue.
Superintendent Josh Ingle attributed most of the shortfall to rising insurance costs, especially for non-certified staff. Insurance expenses for classified employees are projected to rise by nearly $4,000 per person in the coming year. Certified employees will also see a significant increase, with per-employee insurance rising from $18,960 in FY2024 to $21,120 in FY2025 and an estimated $22,260 in FY2026.
Despite the growing financial pressures, Ingle said the current millage rate of 14.000 will remain unchanged. This decision was made in consultation with Dade County Chairman Don Townsend, even as many property owners have experienced higher assessments.
Ingle presented a slide show during the meeting to detail how the budget was developed. He noted that approximately 90% of school system expenses are personnel-related, reflecting what he described as a “lean operation” with little room to cut costs.
The board also formalized a previously unwritten policy regarding unpaid student lunch balances. Under the new procedure, students with unpaid meal accounts could be restricted from participating in extracurricular activities until their balances are paid.
At one point last year, unpaid student meal costs ballooned to nearly $17,000. Thanks to collection efforts, that figure was eventually reduced to about $5,000, according to School Nutrition Director Jennifer Bowden. She expressed hope that increased state reimbursement for free and reduced meals will help offset future losses.
Ingle encouraged all Dade County families to apply for meal assistance programs, noting that many may be eligible without realizing it. He also previewed a potential discussion at July’s board meeting regarding increasing school meal prices, which have remained unchanged since 2018.
In other action, the board approved over $21,000 in equipment for the new hitting facility at Dade County High School. Purchases include two pitching machines (one each for baseball and softball), overhead protective screens, and portable pitching mounds.
The board also discussed ongoing improvements at Davis Elementary School, where HVAC and roofing upgrades are nearly complete. The new HVAC system requires more electrical capacity, prompting a decision to withdraw the school’s current capital outlay application. A revised project, including necessary rewiring, will be considered soon.
Board members plan a final walkthrough of Davis Elementary before their next regular meeting, scheduled for 5 p.m. on July 28.
