Malia Riggs
Elmore Autauga News
The Autauga County Board of education held two separate public hearings this week regarding their 2025 Budget, which was unanimously approved by all members of the Board after the second public hearing.
Autauga County Schools chief school financial officer, Lesley Poe gave two separate presentations to the board breaking down the budget process, where and how the district receives money and explanations on how the money is being used.
Poe confirmed the total budget for the 2025 school year has $69 million from state, $25 million local, $4 million other and $10 million federal.
“This is our breakout in our total expenses for all funds. You can see that 50% of all of our funds and all our expenses are dedicated to instructional,” Poe said.
Poe confirmed that the State funds districts based on student enrollment from the previous year, and last year ACS was funded based on 8,756.80 students. Poe stated that the difference between quality of education is then the product of local support and that districts that provide more local funding provide additional advantages.
Those advantages include lower student to teacher ratios in the classroom as well as enhanced opportunities for students.
Poe broke down expenditures and revenues by function and use. There are many different categories within the budget for ACS, for example, the general fund revenues which see state, federal, local and other fund sources. About 75% of the general fund comes from the state and is spent within instructional areas and services.
However, Poe explained that federal money designed for a specific purpose typically has very specific guidelines and limitations on the expenditure of the funds, which also include local school public funds, Poe confirmed.
Much like the ESSER funds or commonly known as covid-money. Poe stated that every dollar of the ESSER funds is allocated. She also confirmed that within the local revenue, ACS has utilized and allocated every state dollar that they have.
“Right now, we’re okay. But we still have to be mindful of what projects we pursue and how we lay out what our goals are. This budget year is starting October 1st. I’m done with this. I’m already thinking about 2026. for everything that we do, we’re going to have to start thinking, what’s the effect of this two to three years down the road,” Poe said.
Autauga County residents currently pay ten mills of ad valorem school taxes – the required state minimum – and the collected taxes are credited to the system’s local funding. The district is currently ranked 128 out of 138 school systems in the state when totaling all funding: federal, state, and local monies.
The district’s $100+ million FY2024 budget is 87% earmarked, meaning that the majority of all funding is required to be spent in particular areas with very little opportunity to move funds where most needed.
The Ad Valorem School Tax will be on the November ballot, where Poe, Woodfin and the Board have confirmed throughout multiple meetings that the additional funding will allow flexibility beyond the mandated threshold.
