UPDATE: Fayette school leaders reviewing budgets to identify potential cuts of up to 10%

Fayette Superintendent Demetrus Liggins on Tuesday said district-level department leaders are reviewing their budgets to identify potential reductions of up to 10%.

“No spending reductions have been requested at the campus level,” Liggins said in a statement Tuesday night.

The Herald-Leader earlier on Tuesday asked Liggins if district officials were preparing for budget cuts or for a hiring freeze in the next academic cycle.

“Each year, standard measures like hiring freezes and reduced overtime are implemented when it becomes more practical to delay filling certain positions until late spring recruitment, the prime hiring season for school systems,” Liggins told the Herald-Leader.

Here is Liggins’ complete statement, issued Tuesday evening:

“FCPS is committed to using taxpayer dollars efficiently while advancing the Board’s strategic plan, developed in collaboration with the FCPS community to reflect our shared aspirations for students.

“Thanks to sound financial management, our district is currently in a strong financial position with a healthy budget

“Each year, standard measures like hiring freezes and reduced overtime are implemented when it becomes more practical to delay filling certain positions until late spring recruitment, the prime hiring season for school systems.

“In addition, district-level department leaders are reviewing their budgets to identify potential reductions of up to 10%.

“This is another routine exercise that allows us to explore options for future budgets and fiscal years while gathering data to inform discussions with the Board of Education during the upcoming budget planning cycle, which begins in January with the draft budget. No spending reductions have been requested at the campus level.”

The Fayette County Board of Education in late September approved an $817 million working budget for the 2024-25 school year.

“There’s absolutely zero concerns with this budget,” Liggins. said in September of that academic year’s budget.

On Wednesday, Deputy Superintendent Houston Barber said the potential budget reductions would be for fiscal year 2025 which is July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025.

“ I voted against the FYE25 working budget because I don’t think it is a realistic estimate of the district’s necessary expenses,” Fayette school board member Amanda Ferguson said Wednesday. “Apparently it is even worse than I feared.”

This story was originally published December 3, 2024 at 9:12 PM.