Franklin County Board of Education approves $56.35 million budget for FY26-27

Franklin County Schools will operate in the coming fiscal year under a $56.35 million budget after the Franklin County Board of Education approved the budget at its September 15th regular meeting.

The board approved a budget of $52 million last year, so the new budget represents a significant increase.

Revenue sources include: state revenues of $37,934,190, federal revenues of $7,966,593, local revenues in the amount of $10,092,904 and $356,750 from other sources.

State Education Foundation funding is based on the prior academic year’s Average Daily Membership, meaning the amount of students the system averages in attendance on a given day. The ADM used to calculate the allocation on August 11, 2025, was 3,184, excluding Pre-K students.

With that ADM, the state funds 192.80 earned teaching units. Combine that with 24.95 other state funded units, 26.32 federal units funded and 12.63 locally funded for a total of 256.7 teaching units. Additionally, FY26-27’s budget includes 19.5 administrators, 10.5 counselors, 7.5 librarians, three Career Tech Directors and one Career Tech Counselor and 217.5 non-certified support employees for a total of 565.7 employees.

Belgreen High School, which includes grades K-12, has the system’s largest ADM, 528.25, based on Fall 2025 numbers, in the new budget.

The budget includes $56.84 million in total expenditures, with instructional services salaries and support services totaling $30,623,289.61 and $6,380,869.48, respectively.

Other agenda items approved by the board at its September 15th meeting included:

—approving Tatum Oil as lowest responsible bidder for diesel at $5.089 per gallon.

—approving Eagle Gold and Athletics as lowest responsible bidder for the resurfacing of Phil Campbell High School Softball Field.

—approving Grace Life Church of Red Bay’s facilities use agreement with Red Bay High School for October 28, 2026 through October 27, 2027.

—approving compensation paying Patti Swinney, yearbook sponsor at Vina High School, $500 for yearbook supplement, with VHS reimbursing Franklin County BOE the $500 plus applicable benefits.

—approving out-of-state trips for Red Bay Elementary Pre-K to Inspirations at Golden Valley Farms, Golden, , Miss., on October 16th, Red Bay Elementary School Pre-K to Disney on Ice in Tupelo, Nov. 6th, Phil Campbell High School FFA to National Cattle Working Competition, Elizabethtown, Ky., Sept. 22-23, Red Bay High School FFA to National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, In., Oct. 19-24, Belgreen kindergarten to Golden Valley Farms, Golden, Ms., Oct. 6th, PCHS FFA to National FFA Convention, Indianapolis, Oct. 20-24, and Red Bay Elementary School 1st Grade to Disney On Ice in Tupelo, Nov. 16th.

—received a report from Lori Hardin, Federal Programs Director, Title IV Summary, with a total Title IV budget for FY26-27 of $110,264.

—a Five-Year Capital Plan Layout Report as required by the State Department of Education, with proposed projects to include renovations at RBHS, additional at PCHS in 2026, new school construction at RBHS, additions at Tharptown High School in 2027 funding year, additions at Belgreen High School in 2028, additions at Tharptown and PCHS in 2029, additions at PCES in 2030 and additions at PCES continuing in 2031 along with new school at Franklin County Career Technical Center.

—personnel moves including: Resignation for Sena Haddock, Jessica Tharptown and Tonia Abbott, CNP assistants and Marcus Oakes, Comprehensive Social Science Teacher at PCHS, Retirement of Vicki Oliver, bus driver, employment of Karen Nichols, English Language Arts teacher at RBHS, Kylee Welborn as Kindergarten Instructional Aide at East Franklin, Chelsea Schmittou, Registered Nurse at RBHS, Kasey Cook, Registered Nurse at RBHS, Steve Bell as bus driver, Kayla Morgan, Madison Yocum and Breanna Richardson as Special Education Aides, Sarah Scantling, Jasmine Donahoe, Sondra Fuller and Alexis Patterson, CNP Assistants, reassignment of Tara Greenhill from music teacher to Instructional Aide at BHS, transfer of Nicole McClung from CNP Assistant to Special Education Aide, rescinding employment of Jessica Petree, special education aide and Tristan Moomaw, substitute teacher, FMLA for Barbara Hamm, CNP Assistant, Phil Campbell, personal leave for Shayla Brady, Special Education Aide, Belgreen, and paid parental leave for Rachel Borden, Ag teacher Vina, Katelin Green, math teacher Belgreen and Elizabeth Scott, special education teacher at RBHS, Tammy Franks, Lindsay Murray, Amber Burcham, Karen Phillips, Alyssa Parker, Alexis Stewart, Brittany Armstrong, Cheyenne Hughes, Sarah Eaton Perdue, Emma Smith, Ashlyn Yarbrough and Colt Thomas as teacher substitutes and Crissy Palmer, Jeff Clark, Tina Baker, Daniel Beard, Katelyn Madrid, Carrie Williams and Pamela Fuller as CNP substitutes.

The next board meeting will be Tuesday, Nov. 17th, with work session at 4p.m., and meeting to follow.