St. Johns County School Board approves historic $1B budget, while millage rate drops

For the first time in its history, the school board Tuesday unanimously approved a budget of more than $1 billion. 

The good news is that the millage rate will drop.

The bad news: Most homeowners will actually see a higher bill in their mailbox.

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The reason many will pay more this year — even as the millage rate decreased by 2.4%, from 5.953 to 5.812 — is because home property values are increasing countywide.

Under the adopted spending plan, a homeowner with a property assessed at $275,000 (minus a homestead exemption) paid $1,488.25 in school taxes last year; this year, the same homeowner would pay $1,453. That's assuming the homeowner's assessed property value remained the same.

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But, in the St. Johns County housing market, where demand is high and inventory low, a majority of property owners are seeing their home values increase.

Overall, total assessed property values increased in the county by nearly 9%, from $34,114,092,651 in 2020-21, to $37,077,961,902 in 2021-22, according to the school district.

Direct instruction will account for 61% of the $1,013,657,451 budget.

A few school officials at Tuesday's meeting remarked that it was historic to see the school budget go over the $1 billion mark, but Gretchen Saunders, chief financial officer for the district, said it was not unexpected given the fast pace at which the county is growing, which means more students, facilities and services. 

In a phone interview Wednesday, Superintendent of Schools Tim Forson said he thought school officials had done a good job with the spending plan set forth by the district.

"I think we're fortunate to have a budget that has some flexibility built into it this year," said Forson.

As an example, Forson cited extra appropriations set aside to help students who may have learning losses from the disruptions of the pandemic.

With help from the a federal CARES Act grant, the St. Johns schools are offering extra services to students who fall into that group, which means more money in manpower and salaries.

Other costs the district has incurred recently include COVID-related PPE, disinfection and other protocol to help prevent the spread of the virus; higher salaries offered to staff, such as teachers and bus operators, for recruitment in a tough labor market; and more paraprofessionals per classroom, according to Michael Degutis, the district's chief of staff.