Latest news with #Teachers'RetirementSystem
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
APS budget boosts school-level funding by $45M, cuts central office costs
The Brief The Atlanta Board of Education approved a $1.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2026, focusing on classroom instruction and foundational learning while reducing central office costs. The budget includes a $45 million increase in direct school-level funding and cuts 135 central office positions, saving $25 million to be redirected to schools and classrooms. The budget aims for long-term financial stability by eliminating a $15 million general fund transfer to the School Nutrition Program and reducing reliance on reserve funds by 86%. ATLANTA - The Atlanta Board of Education has approved a $1.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2026, embracing a "back to basics" approach aimed at closing a financial deficit while preserving key investments in teachers, literacy, and school safety. The budget, passed during the board's regular meeting on Monday night, reallocates resources to support classroom instruction and foundational learning while trimming central office costs and duplicative programs. The backstory The newly adopted budget includes a $45 million increase in direct school-level funding and an additional $11 million targeted for core classroom instruction. Resources will be concentrated at the elementary level to bolster early learning. Cuts made in the current year have allowed the district to fast-track the adoption of new textbooks and updated learning materials. Funding for professional development in English Language Arts and Math will be maintained, reinforcing the district's emphasis on instructional quality. A major component of the new budget is a reduction of 135 central office positions, resulting in $25 million in savings. Officials said those funds will be redirected to schools and classrooms. The district is also working to limit utility spending and apply zero-based budgeting to its signature and turnaround programs. Duplicated funding for programs such as Atlanta Virtual Academy and Phoenix Academy is being eliminated to free up additional funds for core services. Employee benefits remain a significant cost driver, with more than $26 million in increases tied to retirement system contributions and state health benefits. The budget fully funds a 5% increase in Teachers' Retirement System rates and increases of 7% and 20% for certified and classified health benefits, respectively. The budget eliminates a $15 million general fund transfer to the School Nutrition Program and fully funds an $8.8 million step increase for all district employees. APS also reported an 86% reduction in its reliance on reserve funds, a move officials said points to improved financial sustainability. A new facilities master planning process is underway to address long-term infrastructure needs across the district's 87 learning sites. Atlanta Public Schools serves approximately 50,000 students across neighborhood, partner, charter, and alternative schools. What they're saying "This budget reflects a focused and deliberate approach, leaning into what's working and strategically abandoning what's not," said Superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson. "We are maximizing resources in ways that directly propel our students forward, while simultaneously being diligent stewards of taxpayer dollars." "The ABOE's priority is to ensure that every dollar is used effectively to support student success," said Katie Howard, chair of the board's Budget Commission. "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." The Source Atlanta Public Schools provided the details for this article.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lew-Port's 2025/26 district budget set at $55.8 million, no impact on programming
The proposed $55.8 million Lewiston-Porter Central School District budget will see an increase of 2.1% and Superintendent Paul Casseri said student programming would not be impacted. 'We're maintaining every program from year to year,' he said this week. The tax rate residents in Lewiston and Porter would have to pay has not been set yet, as they are still waiting on information from town assessors. The superintendent noted most of the increases came from contractural obligations like salary, benefits, and fuel costs. Eight positions were eliminated as part of reducing costs. In a presentation before the district Board of Education on April 7, the budget had increased by $1.15 million. That increase would be funded by $31.15 million in real property taxes, a 2.71% increase which is the state cap, $19.3 million in state aid, a 1.65% increase, and $2.41 million in other revenues, a 12.31% increase. The district, however, would contribute $2.5 million of appropriated fund balance, a 21.9% decrease. Casseri said it is not a good financial practice to continue using funds to balance the budget like that. Taking into account total expenditures to cover all the administrative, program, and capital costs, the district still had a $350,000 budget gap. Funds from the district's reserve for the Teachers' Retirement System will be used to cover the shortfall. Casseri explained this fund is open-ended in how it can be used, which is mainly for when the district has a significant amount of retirees. More than $300,000 is still there. State aid is up by $313,702, though Casseri says the amount they get has not changed much over the past three years. That is due to declining enrollment, with the district losing 25% to 30% of its student population over the past 20 years, and the state considering it a low-to-average need district that is not as economically disadvantaged as other areas. Budget areas with significant changes compared to last year include: • Central services at $4.165 million, a 23.5% increase • Special items at $659,347, a 50.6% decrease • The office of finance at $629,024, a 17.8% increase • Administration and school improvement at $1.27 million, a 25.2% decrease The BOE adopted the budget at that meeting and a full version will be made available to the public starting April 29. A public hearing for the budget will take place at the BOE's May 12 meeting, with the district-wide vote on it taking place May 20.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pritzker orders Illinois to boycott El Salvador over Abrego Garcia's detention
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has ordered agencies in his state to boycott work with El Salvador amid the detention fight over Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Abrego Garcia's detention in a Salvadoran prison has become a major focus as Democrats look to criticize the Trump administration for skirting his constitutional right to due process. 'The United States Constitution guarantees due process. We are witnessing Donald Trump erode our fundamental Constitutional rights in real time, and we must fight to restore the balance of power,' Pritzker said in a statement on Wednesday. 'The State of Illinois will stand up for the Rule of Law and do everything in our power to stop the Trump Administration from ripping apart our most basic rights.' Pritzker said he was requesting that the Illinois State Board of Investment, the State Universities Retirement System and the Teachers' Retirement System review their investments to 'identify any fund investments' that are wholly or partially managed, owned or controlled by the Salvadoran government or has ties to business in El Salvador. The governor's office also directed the state Department of Central Management Services to launch a review to identify contracts awarded to companies affiliated with El Salvador's government or Salvadoran businesses. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has also been directed to conduct an analysis of trade between the state and El Salvador, including the 'scale and nature of imports' and the extent to which Salvadoran goods are in the supply chain of products manufactured in the state. Pritzker's order comes just days after a group of House Democrats traveled to El Salvador and were denied a meeting with Abrego Garcia. The Maryland man's detention has become a flashpoint in the Trump administration's deportations. The administration previously admitted to mistakenly deporting Abrego Garcia but has since said it would not help bring him home. The Supreme Court ordered the administration to 'facilitate' his return to the U.S., but it has left wiggle room for the administration to say that the responsibility for Abrego Garcia's release lies with El Salvador. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has said he would not be returning Abrego Garcia. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) also traveled to El Salvador and was able to successfully meet with his constituent. Van Hollen said he informed Abrego Garcia of the political and legal battle playing out in the U.S. over his deportation and criticized the Salvadoran government for fabricating better conditions for him. Abrego Garcia's deportation has been the latest in a string from the Trump administration. He was given deportation protection in 2019 because he was facing threats on his life in his home country of El Salvador. The administration has said he's part of the MS-13 gang, but he and his family deny the accusation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Pritzker orders Illinois to boycott El Salvador over Abrego Garcia's detention
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has ordered agencies in his state to boycott work with El Salvador amid the detention fight for Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Abrego Garcia's detention in an El Salvadoran prison has become a major focus as Democrats look to criticize the Trump administration for skirting his constitutional right to due process. 'The United States Constitution guarantees due process. We are witnessing Donald Trump erode our fundamental Constitutional rights in real time, and we must fight to restore the balance of power,' Pritzker said in a statement on Wednesday. 'The State of Illinois will stand up for the Rule of Law and do everything in our power to stop the Trump Administration from ripping apart our most basic rights.' Pritzker said he was requesting that the Illinois State Board of Investment, the State Universities Retirement System and the Teachers' Retirement System review their investments to 'identify any fund investments' that are wholly or partially managed, owned or controlled by the Salvadoran government or has ties to business in El Salvador. The governor's office also directed the state Department of Central Management Services to launch a review to identify contracts awarded to companies affiliated with El Salvador's government or Salvadoran businesses. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has also been directed to conduct an analysis of trade between the state and El Salvador, including the 'scale and nature of imports' and the extent to which Salvadoran goods are in the supply chain of products manufactured in the state. Pritzker's order comes just days after a group of House Democrats traveled to El Salvador and were denied a meeting with Abrego Garcia. The Maryland man's detention has become a flashpoint in the Trump administration's deportations. The administration previously admitted to mistakenly deporting Abrego Garcia but has since said it would not help bring him home. The Supreme Court ordered the administration to 'facilitate' his return to the U.S., but it has left wiggle room for the administration to say that the responsibility for Abrego Garcia's release lies with El Salvador. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has said he would not be returning Abrego Garcia. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) also traveled to El Salvador and was able to successfully meet with his constituent. Van Hollen said he informed Abrego Garcia of the political and legal battle playing out in the U.S. over his deportation and criticized the Salvadoran government for fabricating better conditions for him. Abrego Garcia's deportation has been the latest in a string from the Trump administration. He was given deportation protection in 2019 because he was facing threats on his life in his home country of El Salvador. The administration has said he's part of the MS-13 gang, but he and his family deny the accusation.
