{"id":205139,"date":"2026-03-25T08:01:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-25T08:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/205139\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T08:01:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T08:01:08","slug":"leon-county-school-board-passes-7-8m-budget-cuts-for-upcoming-school-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/205139\/","title":{"rendered":"Leon County School Board passes $7.8M budget cuts for upcoming school year"},"content":{"rendered":"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – The Leon County School Board approved $7.8 million<\/a> in budget cuts at Tuesday\u2019s meeting. <\/p>\n

The cuts come after lengthy discussions among school board members and the community.<\/p>\n

The approved budget includes a $2.3 million reduction in district cost centers, a $4.8 million cut in staffing, $500,000 in cuts to arts and athletics programs and a $125,000 decrease in funding for community groups.<\/p>\n

While Tuesday\u2019s vote approved the cuts to the budget, Superintendent Rocky Hanna emphasized that there is potential to revise the budget when state lawmakers finalize funding.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do hope when the legislature returns that we will have better news,\u201d Hanna said. \u201cWe always said we can go back and add some of these things back.\u201d<\/p>\n

More Tallahassee news:<\/p>\n

Hanna also said the budget reduction was not an easy decision. <\/p>\n

These cuts are already raising concerns among some parents. One Leon County Schools paren<\/a>t said if money for arts and athletics isn\u2019t coming from the schools, it will come from families.<\/p>\n

School Board Member Laurie Cox shared her appreciation for all that has gone into making these hard decisions, especially those in the community who have shared their thoughts.<\/p>\n

\u201cBehind every number, there is a story,\u201d Cox said. \u201cEvery number represents a story. We appreciate the people who have come up and spoken and people out in the community that we\u2019ve heard from and all the work that\u2019s gone into this.\u201d<\/p>\n

The budget proposal passed unanimously.<\/p>\n

Hanna said he plans to meet with principals starting early next month to discuss how these reductions could impact individual campuses.<\/p>\n

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