Henry County Schools has adopted their tentative budget for the 2025-2026 school year. The district’s projected general fund expenses are $597.3 million. The board will consider final adoption of the budget in May.
Henry County Schools serves 43,000 students across 54 schools. The district’s student enrollment has been fairly consistent since 2019.
Henry County Schools 2026 Tentative Budget
The school district presented its tentative 2026 budget at the April 14 board meeting. Henry County Schools is forecasting the following revenues and expenses for the 2025–2026 school year:
| General Fund | 2025-26 Budget | Change from 24-251 |
|---|---|---|
| Local Revenues | $293.3 M | +$16.7 M |
| State Revenues | $273.4 M | -$1.0 M |
| Federal Revenues | $2.2 M | +$0.4 M |
| Total Revenues | $568.9 M | +$16.1 M |
| General Fund Expenses | $597.3 M | +$24.3 M |
| Use of Fund Balance (Savings) to Balance the Budget | $28.4 M | +$7.8 M |
Expenses & New Positions
The 2026 tentative budget has general fund expenses of $597.3 million. This is an increase of $24.3 million dollars over the amended 2024-25 budget. The proposed budget includes 65 new school-level positions, including the addition of 41 new teachers, and 12 district office positions. The budget has the following pay raises for employees:
- $3,000 teacher pay raise over the adopted FY 2025 pay scales, this was first passed in December 2024 effective January 1, 2025,
- 3% increase for classified and professional staff, and
- $1,300 increase for administrative pay scales.
One notable item causing an increased expense is the district’s contribution to the state’s teacher pension and healthcare plan for employees. These increases are determined by the state, but state funding does not cover entirely the additional costs. The state will provide $7.8 million in additional funds for these two areas; however, local funds must contribute another $14.4 million.
92% of the district’s general fund budget goes to employees’ salaries & benefits, and contracted services. The last 8% covers all other operating costs such as building and fleet maintenance.
Revenues & Fund Balance
The forecast revenues are $568.9 million. This includes $293.3 million in local revenues, representing an increase of $16.7 million over the current year. There are $273.4 million in state revenues — a $1 million dollar decrease from 2024-25. About two million in federal funds also contribute to the general fund.
To cover the difference between the expenses and revenues, the district intends to use $28.4 million from fund balance (savings) to balance the budget. The district used $20.6 million from reserves to cover its 2024-25 budget. Several school board members raised questions about the continued use of reserves to cover the budget. District staff, when answering the board’s questions, expressed the use of reserves was sustainable for the time being.
The district estimates it will have $128.9 million in reserves at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. This is equal to 21.5% of the general fund’s annual expenses.
Projected Enrollment
Henry County Schools is projecting an enrollment of 42,997 students in 2025-2026. By comparison, they had 43,012 students in October 2024. The number of students within the school district has remained relatively consistent since 2019-20.
Public school enrollment in the United States reached its highest levels in fall 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the nationwide enrollment is down. Various factors, such as declining birth rates and more parents opting for private school or homeschool, are contributors. Nationally, public schools had 1.8 million fewer students in fall 2023 compared to fall 2019. That’s a 2.5% decline. Within Georgia, public school enrollment is down 1.1% in that same time.
Henry County’s enrollment has changed just a few students, even while new homes are built in the county. Though district enrollment hasn’t changed, some school clusters are seeing growth. Our January 2025 article analyzed that data.
Tentative Budget Adoption
The school board voted 4-1 to adopt the tentative FY 2026 budget. District 1 board member Dr. Pam Nutt voted against it. The board will consider the final budget adoption on Monday, May 12, at 7 pm.
The board also held the first of two budget public hearings. One speaker participated. She sought more information whether the proposed budget would cause her property taxes to increase. Millage rates, which determine property taxes, are set in July. A second and final budget hearing will be on Monday, May 12, at 6:30 pm. The school board meets at the district office in downtown McDonough.
Featured image shows a presentation slide about the 2026 tentative budget. Henry County Schools presentation.
