The July 28, 2026 regular meeting is centered on one of the district's most significant annual responsibilities: adopting the tentative property tax millage rates and the tentative operating budget for fiscal year 2026-27 following a required public hearing. The packet also includes a large consent agenda covering grants, contracts, personnel, facilities, federal programs, student services, instructional initiatives, and operational matters.
Beyond the budget hearing, the packet reflects continued investment in special education, mental health, technology, school safety, facilities, workforce education, and instructional programs. Several major contracts, capital projects, and grant applications are presented alongside routine operational approvals.
Families will also see actions supporting free school meals through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), the district's Mental Health Assistance Allocation Plan, IDEA federal special education funding, updated job descriptions, reading initiatives, and planning for the upcoming school year.
The meeting combines legally required fiscal actions with operational decisions that affect classrooms, school facilities, employees, transportation, technology, security, and student support services across Volusia County Schools.
Major Discussion and Action Items
Tentative Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget and Property Tax Millage
The centerpiece of the meeting is the public hearing on the tentative district budget and ad valorem property tax millage. Board members are scheduled to hear a budget presentation before considering Resolution No. 2026-09 establishing tentative millage rates and Resolution No. 2026-10 adopting the tentative operating budget. The proposed tax rates include:
- Required Local Effort: 2.9950 mills
- Local Capital Improvement: 1.5000 mills
- Discretionary Millage: 0.7480 mills
The packet states the combined levy exceeds the statutory rollback rate by approximately 1.40 percent. Proposed revenues include approximately $217.6 million from Required Local Effort, $109.0 million from the capital improvement levy, and approximately $54.4 million from discretionary millage.
Federal Special Education Funding
The board is asked to approve IDEA Part B grant applications for both K-12 and preschool programs.
The packet identifies:
- IDEA Part B K-12 allocation of approximately $16.76 million, with estimated roll-forward funding producing total available funding of approximately $18.48 million.
- IDEA Preschool allocation of approximately $406,764, with estimated roll-forward funding bringing total available funding to approximately $533,458.
These funds support services for students with disabilities and compliance with federal special education requirements.
Procurement, Technology, and District Contracts
The consent agenda contains numerous procurement actions involving technology, curriculum resources, instructional materials, generator maintenance, electrical equipment, demolition services, armored car services, furniture, STEM laboratory equipment, procurement support, International Baccalaureate services, Curriculum Associates, Education Advanced, and College Board services.
Several contracts expand or renew district technology infrastructure and instructional support while others address facilities operations, purchasing efficiencies, and school safety.
Facilities and Capital Improvements
Facilities items span multiple schools throughout the district.
Projects include:
- Baseball and softball field lighting at New Smyrna Beach High School.
- Intercom wiring replacement at Deltona High School.
- Multiple construction change orders.
- HVAC and cooling tower work.
- Roofing projects.
- Stage lighting improvements.
- Classroom additions.
- Basketball court renovations.
- Electrical switchgear replacements.
- Sale of surplus district parcels in Deltona and Edgewater.
These actions represent ongoing maintenance, modernization, and capital improvement efforts across district facilities.
Student Services and Mental Health
The packet includes approval of the 2026-27 Mental Health Assistance Allocation Plan.
The plan emphasizes school counselors, psychologists, social workers, licensed mental health professionals, substance abuse services, trauma-informed supports, teletherapy, family engagement, crisis response, suicide prevention resources, professional development, evidence-based interventions, and outreach materials. Planned expenditures include both staffing and programmatic supports for student behavioral health.
Nutrition and Student Wellness
The district will continue operating under the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
As described in the packet, every district school qualifies to provide breakfast and lunch at no charge during the 2026-27 school year. Richard Milburn Academy East and West also continue receiving free meals. The program eliminates household income applications for free and reduced-price meals while ensuring universal access to breakfast and lunch.
Human Resources and Organizational Changes
Board members will review administrative appointments, personnel actions, and revised job descriptions.
Significant organizational updates include:
- Creation of a Director of Workforce Innovation position.
- Updated Director of Elementary Schools responsibilities.
- Updated Director of Secondary Schools responsibilities.
- Revised ERP Systems Administrator role.
- Updated Safety and Security Systems Technician position.
- New Specialist Graphic Design position.
- Revised Distance Instructor–Resource Teacher position supporting districtwide synchronous instruction.
Financial Matters
Major financial actions include:
- Adoption of the tentative FY2026-27 operating budget.
- Adoption of tentative property tax millage rates.
- Budget amendments for FY2025-26.
- Monthly financial statements through March and April 2026.
- Capital asset retirement reports.
- Multiple procurement contracts and amendments.
- IDEA federal grant applications.
- Mental Health Assistance Allocation funding.
- Acceptance of private donations totaling $61,053.16 benefiting individual schools for arts, music, instructional supplies, teacher grants, and student programs.
Policies, Ordinances, Resolutions, and Governance
The meeting includes formal consideration of:
- Resolution No. 2026-09 establishing tentative millage rates.
- Resolution No. 2026-10 adopting the tentative operating budget.
- Updated public participation policy governing board meetings.
- Charter school agreements.
- Job description revisions.
- Department of Juvenile Justice school calendar approval.
The revised public participation policy outlines multiple opportunities for citizen comment, establishes speaker procedures, and explains expectations for orderly public meetings.
Substantive informational materials include:
- Superintendent announcements.
- Proposed FY2026-27 operating budget presentation.
- Property tax millage presentation.
- Monthly financial reports.
- Mental health planning documentation.
- Comprehensive Evidence-Based Reading Plan.
- IDEA grant applications.
- Recognition of the State Outstanding Senior Volunteer of the Year.
- Presentation introducing newly appointed administrators.
Supporting workshop materials also summarize recent discussions regarding enrollment trends, staffing, revenues, capital planning, and budget development.
Personnel, Appointments, and Organizational Matters
Personnel actions include administrative appointments, transfers, and routine employment actions.
The packet also documents:
- Updated instructional leadership positions.
- Workforce innovation leadership.
- Technology support positions.
- Communications staffing updates.
- Distance learning instructional responsibilities.
- Out-of-field instructional assignments requiring board acknowledgement.
These actions support organizational restructuring, instructional delivery, technology operations, and workforce development.
Projects, Facilities, Infrastructure, and Operations
Major operational matters include:
- Athletic facility improvements.
- HVAC modernization.
- Roofing replacements.
- Classroom additions.
- Electrical infrastructure replacement.
- Stage lighting upgrades.
- School security agreements.
- Generator maintenance.
- Variable frequency drive replacements.
- Technology purchasing.
- Procurement assistance.
- School Resource Officer agreements.
- Food service program implementation.
- Transportation-related contracts.
- Construction management and engineering services.
These projects affect multiple campuses and are intended to maintain facilities, improve safety, and support instructional operations.
The agenda provides several opportunities for public participation, including:
- Public hearing on the tentative property tax millage.
- Public hearing on the tentative operating budget.
- Public comment regarding consent agenda items.
- Public comment on education-related matters.
- General public participation later in the meeting.
- Public comment before board action on action items as described by district policy.
Citizens wishing to speak are expected to follow the district's public participation procedures described in Policy 801.
Students and families may benefit from continued free breakfast and lunch, expanded mental health services, special education funding, updated reading initiatives, facility improvements, and instructional technology investments.
Employees may be affected by revised job descriptions, personnel actions, organizational restructuring, and new professional roles.
Taxpayers are directly affected by the proposed tentative millage rates and operating budget that will finance district operations during the coming fiscal year.
School communities may experience construction activity, facility upgrades, improved safety systems, and operational improvements across district campuses.
Community organizations continue partnering with schools through donations, grants, and contracted services supporting student learning and wellness.
- How does the tentative budget differ from the current year's adopted budget?
- Which major spending priorities received the largest funding increases?
- How will the proposed millage rate affect property owners?
- Which school construction projects are expected to finish during the upcoming school year?
- How will additional IDEA funding improve services for students with disabilities?
- What performance measures will be used to evaluate the Mental Health Assistance Allocation Plan?
- How will the new Director of Workforce Innovation position support career education?
- Which technology contracts are intended to improve classroom instruction versus administrative operations?
- How will universal free meals affect participation and nutrition outcomes?
- What additional opportunities will the public have before final budget adoption?
Important Dates, Deadlines, and Next Steps
- July 28, 2026: Public hearing on tentative millage rates and tentative operating budget.
- Fiscal Year 2026-27: Proposed budget and tax rates would govern district finances if adopted through the budget process.
- 2026-27 School Year: Community Eligibility Provision continues districtwide.
- 2026-27 School Year: Mental Health Assistance Allocation Plan implementation.
- 2026-27 School Year: IDEA K-12 and Preschool grant implementation following approvals.
- Future budget adoption and additional fiscal actions will occur as required under Florida's annual budget process.
Key Takeaways
- The meeting's primary focus is adoption of the tentative FY2026-27 budget and property tax millage.
- Proposed millage includes Required Local Effort, Capital Improvement, and Discretionary levies.
- The tentative levy exceeds the rollback rate by about 1.40%.
- More than $18 million in IDEA K-12 funding is proposed for special education programs.
- Universal free breakfast and lunch continue at all district schools through CEP.
- The district is advancing a comprehensive student mental health plan.
- Numerous technology, curriculum, and procurement contracts are scheduled for approval.
- Multiple facility improvement projects continue across district campuses.
- Human resources updates include new leadership and revised instructional positions.
- Residents have multiple opportunities to provide public comment before board actions.
Official Sources
About the Public Body
- Name: The School Board of Volusia County
- Organization type: school-district
- Government body: school-boards
- Location: Deland, florida
- County: Volusia County
- Provider: boarddocs
Keywords
The School Board of Volusia County, Volusia County Schools, Deland, Florida, July 28 2026, regular session, tentative budget, tentative millage, property tax, public hearing, IDEA Part B, preschool grant, K-12 grant, Mental Health Assistance Allocation, Community Eligibility Provision, free school meals, facilities projects, technology contracts, procurement, school resource officers, charter schools, reading plan, workforce innovation, personnel actions, capital improvements, public participation, BoardDocs, fiscal year 2026-27
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