The $658 million Atlanta Public Schools general fund budget for next school year is the district’s most expensive ever, covering 50,000 students, 6,600 employees and 100 schools.
The spending plan includes pay raises, elimination of furlough days and expansion of charter schools, fueling much of the increase from the $595 million budgeted for the 2013-2014 school year.
The Atlanta Board of Education approved the budget Tuesday on a 6-3 vote, with board members Jason Esteves, Nancy Meister and Steven Lee voting against it. Meister argued for smaller class sizes, and Esteves and Lee said they wanted more money distributed to schools and less spent on administration.
Bottom line
The $658 million in spending was made possible by the improving economy, which drove up property values and tax collections. Revenue is projected at $633 million, and another $25 million would come from about $83 million in reserve funds. The school board last week voted to review the budget with incoming Superintendent Meria Carstarphen in hopes they can reduce administration costs, direct more money to schools and find savings.
Pay raises and furloughs
Many employees will get their first raises since 2009. Employees whose pay has remained stagnant for more than four years will receive raises of about 5.6 percent, and those whose pay has stayed the same for more than two years but less than four years will get raises of about 2.8 percent, as well as one-time $1,000 bonuses. The raises cost about $15 million.
The school system also is ending three furlough days at a cost of $4.5 million.
Charter schools
Rising enrollments in charter schools combined with the upswing in tax revenue will result in charter schools receiving $29 million more than was budgeted for this school year. About 7,000 Atlanta students are expected to attend charter schools next year, an increase of about 1,800 students compared to this year. The largest charter school growth comes from the opening this fall of Atlanta Classical Academy in Buckhead and Centennial Place Academy in Midtown, which is converting from a traditional k-5 elementary school to a charter school that will eventually educate students through eighth grade.
In all, charter schools will receive about $71 million from the budget.
Pension
The school system will pay $49 million toward a pension system with an unfunded pension liability of about $550 million. The school board plans to continue discussions on how to shore up this pension plan, which covers about 3,100 active and retired employees. Options include selling bonds, making higher annual payments or a combination of the two.
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