Forecast: Education money will shrink as state invests in Human Services. (PBCSD Finance Office)
Palm Beach County School Board members just closed the book on one budget year, but Wednesday afternoon the process begins again with an eye to FY 2016.
The budget highlights:
Florida is expected to spend less money on education over the next three years as human services takes a bigger bite of the state budget. By CFO Mike Burke’s estimate prek- 12 education will be the hardest hit.
Palm Beach County student enrollment is expected to grow. But all of that growth will go to charters. In FY 16, staff forecasts 2,161 new students in the district, but 5,711 will go to charters based on approved applications, openings and 3 percent growth at existing schools.
Meanwhile, bills for electricity are up 8 percent and health insurance claims are up 6 percent.
The capital budget takes an even bigger hit than in FY 15, according to the forecast. The list of items and projects the district will have to skip includes $28.6 million in construction, $22.5 million in technology, $11 million in buses and other vehicles and $44.8 million in major maintenance such as replacing roofs and air conditioning systems.
