Lee County schools budget inches toward $2.8 billion as board asked to approve taxes
At a hearing on July 29, the Lee County School Board will be asked to approve a budget for next year of just less than $2.8 billion.
The property tax rate to support that budget would 5.319 mils, or just under $5.32 for every $1,000 of taxable property value.
Of that millage rate, 3.071 is required by the state to receive state grants totaling more than $422 million.
The voter-approved capital outlay tax is 1.5 mils. The remaining .748 is discretionary spending determined by the school board.
Property taxes this year produced just less than $860 million. That number is projected to rise to just less than $900 million.
There are about 100,000 students attending 95 Lee County schools.
There are plans to build seven new schools in the district, with most completed by 2028, and several school additions. The new schools include five as-of-yet-unnamed schools, according to the district's website.
The district is the 27th-largest in the country and the eighth-largest in Florida. The district is the second-largest employer in Lee County.
Among Florida’s 10 largest school districts Lee ranks fourth in both starting teacher pay ($50,500) and average teacher pay ($56,596.60).
Here in Southwest Florida, Lee County starting teacher salary is last, trailing Collier, Charlotte Glades and Hendry. Lee is third among the five counties in average teacher salary.
The hearing is scheduled to begin at 5:05 p.m. at School District offices, 2855 Colonial Blvd.