The Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education (ABOE) is proud to announce the approval of the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) 2026 budget, which emphasizes a "back to basics" approach, identifying and eliminating redundancies to address the district's current financial deficit while sustaining key commitments to teachers, literacy, and safety. The $1.3 billion budget was approved at Monday night’s monthly Board Meeting.

"As we embark on this budget cycle, our unwavering commitment is to ensure our children are poised to thrive in the years ahead," said Dr. Bryan Johnson, Superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools. "This budget reflects a focused and deliberate approach, leaning into what's working and strategically abandoning what's not. We are maximizing resources in ways that directly propel our students forward, while simultaneously being diligent stewards of taxpayer dollars."

 Key Highlights of the FY2026 Budget Include:

 Back to Basics: Reinvesting in the Core of Learning

• Increased School-Level Funding: The budget ensures a transparent baseline of funding for every school, driving an additional $45 million directly to school budgets.

• Concentrated Elementary Investment: Additional funding has been strategically concentrated at the elementary school level to support foundational learning.

• Enhanced Core Classroom Spending: APS is increasing spending in core classrooms by $11 million, directly impacting teaching and learning.

• Expedited Textbook Adoption: Current-year cuts have allowed the district to expedite a much-needed textbook adoption, providing students and teachers with updated resources.

• Investment in Professional Development: APS will maintain its commitment to investing in professional development opportunities in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, recognizing the direct link between teacher preparation and student success. 

Fiscal Discipline: Streamlining Operations and Maximizing Efficiency

• Central Office Reductions: The budget includes a net reduction of 135 positions from Central Office, resulting in an overall net decrease of $25 million to central office expenditures. This move is part of a broader effort to identify and eliminate redundancies in administrative costs and resources, reallocating those savings to classroom and school budgets.

• Controlling Utility Costs: APS is actively constraining growth in utilities budgets.

• Zero-Based Budgeting: Signature Programs and Turnaround initiatives were zero-based, requiring a comprehensive review and justification of all expenditures.

• Eliminating Duplicated Funding: The budget addresses duplicated funding for APS programs such as Atlanta Virtual Academy and Phoenix Academy, directing savings to core educational services.

• Employee Benefits as a Cost Driver: Employee benefits represent the single largest cost driver for FY2026, with over $26 million in increased benefits costs. The budget fully funds a 5% increase in Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) rates and an increase of 7% (certified) and 20% (classified) for State Health benefits.

 Sustainability: Building a Stronger Foundation for the Future

• Elimination of School Nutrition Program Transfer: The general fund transfer to the School Nutrition Program has been eliminated, saving $15 million.

• Employee Step Increase: The budget fully funds an $8.8 million step increase for all employees, demonstrating a continued commitment to attracting and retaining high-quality staff.

• Reduced Dependence on Fund Balance: APS has significantly reduced its dependence on fund balance by 86%, indicating a move towards greater financial stability.

• Facilities Master Planning: The district has kicked off a comprehensive facilities master planning process to strategically address long-term infrastructure needs. 

“The ABOE’s priority is to ensure that every dollar is used effectively to support student success,” said Katie Howard, ABOE’s Budget Commission Chair. “We are committed to transparency, fiscal responsibility, and the long-term stability of our schools. This budget, which reduced central office spend and put more money towards schools, reflects our educational goals and priorities as well as positions us to further improve as we focus on student outcomes.”