Henry County BOE Approves FY27 Budget, Sustaining Key Investments Despite External Pressures

HENRY COUNTY, GA – The Henry County Board of Education on June 8 approved the final budget for the 2026-2027 school year, which includes an investment of $14,486 per student and maintains compensation improvements for teachers and staff while absorbing ongoing state-mandated benefits increases.

“The strong financial stewardship of our board has positioned us to develop a budget that maintains our commitment to providing the best possible learning and work environments while school districts across the state feel the impacts of declining enrollment, continuing unfunded state mandates, and limits to local control of funding,” said Superintendent Dr. John Pace III. “This year’s budget is a significant step toward stabilizing our district’s operations in the face of these persistent challenges.”

Sustaining recent years’ historic commitments to teaching and learning in Henry County Schools, the Board of Education continues its practice of allocating 97% of General Fund expenses to functions that directly enable student learning in supportive, safe, and secure learning environments. General and administrative expenses related to district-level staffing and support continue to account for only 3% of these expenditures.

The $600 million General Fund budget is highlighted by initial staffing and startup resource allocations for Henry County STEM High School and Wolf Creek Elementary School, both set to open in August 2027. The newly adopted budget continues existing salary schedules, including a starting teacher salary of $53,910, advances employee steps as eligible, and maintains school-level budgets.

A total of $17.5 million in mandated and prioritized investments is partially offset by $14.2 million in academic and operational adjustments, including reducing central office budgets and freezing selected district-level vacancies. These adjustments include no furlough days and no change to school allocation methods.

The budget strategically draws $20.7 million from its fund balance to offset external cost increases, while maintaining a strong remaining reserve balance projected at 19.3% of the operating budget by the end of FY27.

Since FY22, HCS has budgeted to account for 55% growth in state-mandated expenses related to the employer’s share of benefits and compensation, while prioritizing investment in all job families. Over that time, notable starting salary improvements have been made for paraprofessionals (65%), district and school administrative support (35%), teachers (30%), and bus drivers (26%).

Notably, HCS is one of four of the state’s 10 largest school districts to maintain a Financial Efficiency Star Rating of 4.0 or higher, while having the second-lowest per pupil expenditure and second-lowest percentage of expenditures dedicated to central support, according to the latest available state data from FY25.

“I’m proud to see this budget protect so many important investments we’ve made across our district,” said Board Chair Sophe Pope (Dist. 4). “This board is committed to sound financial management while honoring the belief we have in the potential of every student and the appreciation we have for the hard work of every employee.”

Recent budget cycles have also seen significant investments in resources for literacy, writing, and Beyond the Core courses, as well as the introduction of STEM curriculum across all grade levels. Additionally, 88 school-based positions were created to support Community-Inspired Strategic Plan priorities to expand access to STEM, World Languages, and fine arts, while Mental Health and Wellness Facilitator and Campus Safety Monitor positions were introduced at every school. 

“One of the core responsibilities of a board of education is approval of the budget,” said Vice Chair Makenzie McDaniel (Dist. 5). “With today’s action, we are doing what’s necessary to ensure that our scholars retain the opportunities and access promised by our mission and that our teachers and staff remain equipped to provide the high-quality, world-class education outlined in our vision. That is a testament to this board and our financial position.”

The board’s action also consisted of approvals of budgets for the Special Revenue Fund ($62.6 million) and Capital Projects Fund ($105.2 million). The two funds comprise targeted investments, many of which are related to grants, Education - Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST), and strategic plan projects, such as safety and security enhancements and facility construction and renovation.

The approved budget totals $809.8 million in expenditures across the four aggregate funds, including the General Fund, Special Revenue Fund, Capital Projects Fund, and Debt Service Fund.