Savannah-Chatham County Public School System Packet Summary — July 15, 2026
Key Items on the Agenda
The packet covers a Special Board Meeting of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System scheduled for July 15, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Jessie Collier Deloach Board Room at the Whitney Administrative Complex in Savannah, Georgia.
The agenda includes consent agenda items, personnel-related materials, and a Fiscal Year 2027 millage levy item under Pillar 4: Operational Excellence & Accountability.
Consent Agenda Items
Personnel Reassignments and Salary Adjustments
The packet includes a personnel docket with proposed reassignments and salary adjustments for administrative personnel. The materials identify changes involving assistant principal positions at schools including Johnson High, Isle of Hope School, Savannah Arts Academy, Butler Elementary, Henderson E. Formey School, Groves High, and Rice Creek School.
The packet provides current and adjusted salary information, position details, effective dates of July 20, 2026, and the prior positions or vacancies associated with the listed personnel changes.
Annual Personnel Evaluation Certification
The packet includes an Annual Personnel Evaluation Certification under Board Policy GBI, Professional Personnel Evaluation.
The document states that the Superintendent certified that the district implemented its employee evaluation process in accordance with applicable requirements and that evaluations were completed for staff members as required. It also notes that exceptions, including approved leave situations or other documented circumstances, were recorded.
Major Financial Item
Fiscal Year 2027 Final Recommended Tax Millage Levy
The packet includes a proposed Calendar Year 2026 (Fiscal Year 2027) Final Recommended Tax Millage Levy prepared by the Division of Finance.
The packet states that the recommended millage rates are:
- General Fund Tax: 17.331 mills
- General Obligation Bond Debt Tax: 0 mills
- Aggregate millage rate: 17.331 mills
The materials explain that the district is required to adopt recommended millage rates for Maintenance and Operations and General Obligation Bond indebtedness under applicable law and policy. Staff proposes adoption of the listed millage rates to meet statutory timelines.
Financial Background and Budget Context
The packet provides financial context for the recommended millage rate, including the district’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget position.
Key figures presented in the packet include:
- General Fund budget: $704.7M
- Projected General Fund revenues: $687.5M
- Planned use of General Fund balance: $17.2M
The packet states that lower-than-expected tax base growth, increased exemptions, and expiring grant revenue have reduced expected revenue growth for Fiscal Year 2027. The materials describe the use of fund balance as a one-time support measure while the district evaluates longer-term financial changes.
Tax Revenue and Millage Considerations
The packet discusses property tax impacts, including the effects of HB782 on taxable property values and district revenue growth.
The materials state that HB782 is expected to reduce revenue growth available to the district and estimate a $8.7M loss in Fiscal Year 2027 revenue growth associated with the tax reform changes.
The packet also compares millage rate scenarios, including:
- 17.331 mills as the current/proposed rate
- 17.049 mills as the rollback rate scenario
The materials describe the projected revenue impacts and associated use of fund balance under different millage scenarios.
Financial Management and Future Planning
The packet presents district efforts and planned actions related to financial management capacity.
Topics described include:
- Improved budget ownership and processes
- Financial systems modernization
- Multi-year financial outlook development
- Staffing model assessments
- Continued review of operational efficiency opportunities
The packet identifies longer-term areas for evaluation, including workforce optimization, in-source/out-source analysis, school consolidations, transportation optimization, and performance-based compensation systems.
What to Watch at the Meeting
The packet highlights several areas for board review:
- The proposed Fiscal Year 2027 millage rate recommendation of 17.331 mills
- The financial impact of property tax changes and slower tax digest growth
- The planned use of $17.2M in General Fund balance to support the Fiscal Year 2027 budget
- Personnel reassignment and salary adjustment items included in the consent agenda
- Ongoing financial management strategies and operational reviews described in the supporting materials
