As Dalton Public Schools prepares its budget for the 2026–2027 school year, we extend our sincere appreciation to the Dalton community for the continued trust placed in us to serve as responsible stewards of public funds. While the district receives both federal and state funding, a portion of our operating budget is supported locally through property taxes from residents and businesses within the City of Dalton. We recognize the responsibility that accompanies our role as a taxing authority and remain committed to making decisions that positively impact our students, staff, and community.
Our goal is to maintain the lowest possible millage rate that responsibly meets the needs of our students and sustains district operations. To that end, we are actively implementing cost-saving measures, including reducing departmental budgets, aligning staffing levels with student enrollment, and making long-term structural adjustments to minimize the local tax burden.
It is important to note that school districts are also impacted by actions at the state level. The Georgia General Assembly (state legislature) establishes requirements and mandates that districts must implement. In some cases, these are unfunded mandates, meaning the state requires school systems to provide certain programs, services, or operational changes without allocating sufficient funding to cover the full cost. As a result, local districts must absorb these expenses using local funds. Additionally, rising employee healthcare costs and partially funded state requirements continue to place financial pressure on district budgets.
These factors may necessitate modest adjustments to the millage rate over time. Dalton Public Schools is committed to maintaining a rate near the current level (7.824), with an anticipated range of approximately 8.0 to 8.2 mills. While the Board of Education retains flexibility in setting the millage rate, it also intends to establish a cap and is committed to not exceeding 9.0 mills over the next two years. Although we do not anticipate approaching this threshold, maintaining this flexibility ensures the district can respond to future financial uncertainties if needed.
Even with the potential for slight increases, our commitment remains firm: to utilize the lowest millage rate possible each year while continuing to provide high-quality educational opportunities for our students. We will also continue to work collaboratively with local and state leaders to advocate for policies and funding that reduce the tax burden on Dalton residents.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we navigate this challenging financial landscape.
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