JCSS Approves Final Budget, Full Millage Rollback Rate
The Jackson County Board of Education approved the final Fiscal Year 2026 Budget on Thursday. The budget includes a full millage rollback rate, the first inside Jackson County since 2015.
The new millage rate is now 15.324, the lowest millage rate in over 20 years. The Bond Millage rate will remain the same at 2.6 mills. The lowering of the millage rate inside Jackson County marks the 10th time in the past 12 years the Board of Education has lowered the millage rate.
“To lower the millage rate with a full rollback rate, all while maintaining a balanced budget is an outstanding accomplishment,” Superintendent Dr. Philip Brown said. “This is a big win for our community, and our school system, thanks to the incredible vision by our Board of Education.”
The approval of the budget ensures the Jackson County School System will have a balanced budget for this fiscal year with $163,337,155 million in revenue and expenditures. Approximately 86 percent of the budget is personnel for the school system.
JCSS saw an increase in its share of each educator’s contribution to state-health premiums the system has to incur. Additionally, JCSS gave all staff a two percent increase in wages for this fiscal year.
Approving a balanced budget with a full millage rollback rate also comes on the heels of the community approving the new senior tax exemptions in November. Those exemptions equal the amount of .944 mills, or approximately $4.450 million in revenue this year.
“To maintain a balanced budget with the increase in salaries, contributions to state health going up, all coupled with the implementation of the senior tax exemption, is a tremendous feat,” Brown said. “Our system is committed to continuing to be good stewards of public funds while balancing being one of the fastest growing school systems in the state of Georgia.
“It is clear, families want to move to Jackson County for the school system. And it is our responsibility to ensure current and future citizens of Jackson County have a high-performing school system that is fiscally responsible. It is not a task we take lightly.”
Jackson County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation and the Jackson County School System is one of the fastest growing school systems in the state of Georgia. JCSS’ enrollment is now over 11,500, compared to 9,200 students in 2022.