Source: Packet materials reviewed from the extracted briefing source.
The primary purpose of this meeting is the District School Board's first public hearing on the proposed 2026-2027 budget and property tax (millage) rates. Florida law requires separate public votes to adopt the tentative millage rates, adopt the tentative operating budget, and schedule the final budget hearing later in the year. These decisions establish the framework for district operations during the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026.
The packet shows a tentative district budget totaling $2,284,173,662. The proposed combined millage rate is 6.184 mills, expected to generate approximately $419.16 million in local property tax revenue. The proposed total millage rate is identified as 0.57 percent above the rollback rate, making the budget hearing especially relevant to taxpayers.
Beyond the budget hearing, the consent agenda contains numerous operational items supporting district functions before the school year begins, including federal and state education grants, personnel recommendations, facilities planning, construction amendments, purchasing requests, transportation asset transfers, and routine financial approvals. These items collectively support instructional services, student safety, facilities, transportation, and district administration.
Residents also have multiple opportunities to participate during the meeting through agenda and non-agenda public comment periods. The Board is scheduled to continue the annual budget process by holding its final required public hearing on September 8, 2026.
Major Discussion and Action Items
Proposed 2026-2027 Tentative Budget and Millage Rates
The central action item is adoption of the tentative budget and tentative property tax rates required under Florida law. The Board must separately vote to approve the tentative millage resolution, approve the tentative budget resolution, and establish the date for the final public hearing. The proposed budget covers district operations for July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.
Property Tax Funding
The packet identifies four primary components of the proposed tax levy:
- Required Local Effort: 2.936 mills generating approximately $199,007,174
- Discretionary Local Effort: 0.748 mills generating approximately $50,700,737
- Voted Levy: 1.000 mill generating approximately $67,781,735
- Capital Outlay: 1.500 mills generating approximately $101,672,603
Together these equal a proposed 6.184 mill levy expected to generate approximately $419.16 million in local revenue.
Federal and State Education Grants
The Board is asked to approve several grant applications or acceptances supporting district programs, including:
- COPS Technology and Equipment Program
- IDEA Part B K-12
- IDEA Part B Preschool
- Title I Part C Migrant Education
- Title I Part A
- Title II Part A
- Title III English Language Acquisition
These grants support school safety, services for students with disabilities, migrant education, teacher development, English learner instruction, and assistance for schools serving larger concentrations of economically disadvantaged students.
Construction and Capital Improvements
The Board is considering Amendment No. 002 to the Professional Services Agreement with Harvard Jolly Architects (PBK) for a major school construction project originally based on a $35 million construction budget.
The amendment increases architectural fees by $310,695, bringing total architectural and engineering fees to $2,483,320, plus allowances not to exceed $443,260. The amendment reflects expanded athletic facility improvements supported by a Florida state appropriation as well as previously approved hurricane-related gymnasium roof remediation.
Long-Range Facilities Planning
Staff recommend approval of the district's Five-Year Educational Facilities Work Program, which includes enrollment projections, facility capacity information, long-range capital planning, anticipated construction needs, and projected funding sources. The document is intended to satisfy state planning requirements while coordinating future facility development with local governments.
Transportation and District Assets
The Board is asked to authorize transfer of four retired school buses to Dayspring Academy under Florida charter school provisions. Additional surplus maintenance equipment would also be declared surplus and either auctioned or recycled after Board approval because it is obsolete, no longer operational, or too expensive to repair.
Personnel Actions
The personnel agenda includes appointments, reappointments, promotions, transfers, resignations, retirements, and other employment actions across instructional, administrative, professional, technical, maintenance, transportation, food service, and support positions.
The packet reflects preparation for the upcoming school year through numerous teacher appointments effective early August 2026 while also documenting substantial seasonal turnover through retirements and resignations that commonly occur during summer staffing transitions.
Student Programs and School Operations
Consent items include approval of qualifying overnight or out-of-state academic field trips and approval of an articulation agreement involving Plato Academy Schools Corporation and Plato Academy Trinity Charter School. The agreement is intended to provide qualifying students with smoother transitions between participating charter campuses consistent with Florida charter school law.
Financial Matters
The largest financial action is adoption of the $2.284 billion tentative district budget for fiscal year 2026-2027.
Additional financial matters include:
- Adoption of the tentative millage rates totaling 6.184 mills.
- Approval of Budget Amendments #64 through #70 affecting multiple district funds.
- Adjustments reflecting updated Florida Education Finance Program calculations.
- Additional interest earnings.
- Hurricane Helene-related revenues.
- Refunding of prior Certificates of Participation through issuance of 2026A Refunding Certificates.
- Interim financial statements covering July 2025 through May 2026.
- Approval of petty cash funds totaling $12,500.
- Cafeteria change funds totaling $17,200.90.
- School change funds totaling $66,180.
- Purchasing requests, agency contract purchases, vendor expenditures, solicitation renewals, and facility use approvals.
Policies, Ordinances, Resolutions, and Governance
The principal governance actions involve adoption of:
- Tentative Millage Rate Resolution.
- Tentative Budget Resolution.
- Scheduling the final public hearing for September 8, 2026.
The Board also considers approval of the Plato Academy articulation agreement as required under Florida charter school statutes and approval of the annual Five-Year District Facilities Work Program required by state law.
The meeting includes recognition of employees through the Bucs Best Krewe program in partnership with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Board members are also scheduled to receive committee reports, comments from Superintendent Dr. John Legg, staff updates, interim financial statements, and information supporting annual facilities planning and budget development.
Personnel, Appointments, and Organizational Matters
Personnel recommendations encompass districtwide staffing activity including:
- New instructional appointments.
- Administrative appointments.
- Reappointments for returning instructional staff.
- Promotions.
- Position transfers.
- Resignations.
- Retirements.
- Contract adjustments.
- Other employment actions.
The volume of personnel recommendations reflects district preparation for opening the new academic year across schools and support departments.
Projects, Facilities, Infrastructure, and Operations
Operational items include:
- Expanded athletic facility improvements.
- Hurricane-related gymnasium roof remediation work.
- Five-Year Facilities Work Program adoption.
- Bus hub supervision allocation adjustments.
- Transfer of retired buses to a charter school.
- Disposal of obsolete district equipment.
- Purchasing approvals supporting district operations.
- Facility use requests.
- Continued capital planning tied to enrollment projections.
Residents may participate during:
- First Public Hearing on the 2026-2027 Budget.
- Public Comment on agenda items.
- Public Comment on non-agenda items.
Speakers are instructed to submit the appropriate speaking request cards before the designated comment periods. The Board also schedules the Final Public Hearing for September 8, 2026 at 6:00 p.m., when final budget adoption is expected.
Students and families are affected through continued funding for instructional programs, special education, English learner services, migrant education, school safety initiatives, transportation, and academic programs.
Taxpayers are directly affected because the proposed property tax levy supports a substantial portion of district operations.
Employees are affected through staffing recommendations, position allocations, grant-supported instructional programs, compensation-related budget decisions, and ongoing hiring before the new school year.
Communities are also affected through long-range facilities planning, capital improvements, and maintenance investments intended to support future enrollment and district operations.
- How does the proposed budget differ from the current year's adopted budget?
- What factors caused the proposed millage to exceed the rollback rate?
- Which capital projects receive priority funding this year?
- How will the athletic facility improvements be phased?
- What additional state funding supported the construction amendment?
- How will federal grants improve student services during 2026-2027?
- What enrollment assumptions drive the Five-Year Facilities Work Program?
- How will the district address staffing vacancies before school begins?
- What measurable outcomes are expected from the school safety grants?
- What major issues are expected before the September final budget hearing?
Important Dates, Deadlines, and Next Steps
- July 28, 2026: First Public Hearing on the tentative budget and millage rates.
- July 28, 2026: Separate Board votes on tentative millage resolution, tentative budget resolution, and scheduling of the final hearing.
- August 11, 2026: Regular School Board meeting at 9:30 a.m.
- September 8, 2026, 6:00 p.m.: Final Public Hearing on the 2026-2027 budget and millage rates with anticipated final adoption.
Key Takeaways
- The meeting centers on the first required public hearing for the 2026-2027 budget.
- The proposed district budget totals approximately $2.284 billion.
- Proposed local tax revenue totals approximately $419.16 million.
- Total proposed millage rate equals 6.184 mills.
- The proposed millage is 0.57% above the rollback rate.
- Final budget adoption is scheduled for September 8, 2026.
- Multiple federal education grants support student services and instructional programs.
- A major construction amendment increases professional services fees by $310,695.
- Long-range facilities planning is presented through the Five-Year Work Program.
- Extensive staffing recommendations prepare schools for the upcoming academic year.
Official Sources
About the Public Body
- Name: District School Board of Pasco County
- Organization type: school-district
- Government body: school-boards
- Location: Land O' Lakes, florida
- County: Pasco County
- Provider: diligent-community
Keywords
District School Board of Pasco County, Pasco County Schools, First Public Hearing, 2026-2027 budget, tentative budget, millage rate, property taxes, Florida education, finance services, capital outlay, Five-Year Facilities Work Program, Harvard Jolly Architects, PBK, construction amendment, athletic facilities, charter schools, Plato Academy, IDEA Part B, Title I, Title II, Title III, COPS grant, personnel recommendations, purchasing, facilities planning, school buses, public hearing, Land O' Lakes, Superintendent John Legg
