Exclusive: Seminole County Public Schools reduces budget deficit to $600,000

Seminole County Public Schools has reduced its recurring budget deficit for the coming school year to $600,000, thanks in part to a one-time state appropriation. 

SCPS was facing a $30 million budget shortfall for the 2026-27 school as enrollment is expected to continue to decline by  an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 students. The district cut a total of 315 positions, including 190 teachers and instructional personnel; the  remainder of the cuts were to  district staff members.

But that still left a $3 million recurring deficit, which Chief Financial Officer John Pavelchak warned could only be pulled from reserves for three years before reserves would drop too low and could trigger a state takeover. 

The district has been losing enrollment over the last three years; enrollment in 2022 was more than 66,000.

SCPS is projecting 58,200 students enrolled for the coming year, as more students take vouchers for private school, where families can opt to attend private schools and the per-student funding from the district would follow those students. 

“What’s being put before our board today (is) about $600,000 in a projected deficit at this point,” Beamon said in an interview with Oviedo Community News. “So that’s something that could be easily absorbed by our reserves for next year. A much better situation.” 

SCPS Chief Financial Officer John Pavelchak said the district did not include the one-time $1.1 million state appropriation in its report because they thought the governor might veto it. The appropriation totaled $70 million statewide.  

In addition to staffing cuts, SCPS has begun sharing roles between schools. At a press conference after the 2026 State of our Schools address, SCPS Chair Robin Dehlinger said some smaller schools are sharing secretaries, bookkeepers and even coaches. 

“Of course, nobody likes to have to cut positions, but we also have to face the numbers of kids that we have in the classrooms,” Dehlinger said. “That’s our priority: to make sure that we are providing what they need, and also to meet, you know, the requirements that the state has for us as well. … We made a commitment that we’re not closing schools, and we’re able to make that commitment, and so it does require some efficiencies.”

Beamon spoke with Oviedo Community News at the 2026 State of our Schools event. The address highlighted how 95% of SCPS schools are A or B rated, with only three elementary schools getting a C rating. 

Beamon highlighted that last year about 2,500 students completed more than 6,500 dual enrollment courses. 

“Here’s where the parents can give a clap: Saved families an estimated $2 million in tuition,” Beamon said to applause. “That’s an incredible return on investment.”

Board approves $1.2 billion budget

Seminole County Public Schools also approved a tentative $1.2 billion budget for 2026 Tuesday night. 

School budgets are different from local governments. Most of the school’s property tax rates are set by state lawmakers, and school boards can’t raise the rates without going directly to voters for an approval.

Overall, the property tax rate, or millage, being proposed is 5.231, or $523 for every $100,000 of a home’s taxable value. If the school board doesn’t levy that rate, it isn’t eligible for state funding. The final vote on the tax rate is in August. For a home valued at $275,934, that would be a $1,312.64 tax bill. 

Watch the meeting below:

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The school’s property tax rate is dropping slightly. It marks the 14th year in a row that the Florida Legislature has reduced the property tax rate for schools. 

“If we were levying what we levied in 2016, 10 years ago, what revenue would we have in addition to what we will have now in 2026-27?” Dehlinger asked Pavelchak at the Tuesday meeting.  

“It would be $119 million,” Pavelchak said. 

Abe Aboraya is a Report for America corps member