Facing $20M+ shortfall, Bibb schools weighs these 7 potential cost-cutting moves

With inflation pressures, enrollment-related funding challenges and rising operational costs, the Bibb County Board of Education weighed potential options to address its projected fiscal year 2027 $23.8 million deficit during a called budget work session Thursday.

Bibb County School District leaders identified about $11.4 million in cost-cutting measures and warned that failing to close a roughly $24 million budget gap could trigger “extreme” consequences, like major staff reductions and a full organizational restructuring.

The meeting, held at the BCSD Central Office Thursday, also was livestreamed by Kerry Hatcher, who unsuccessfully ran in the most recent election cycle for the board’s Post 7 at-large seat.

Amid ongoing financial pressures, the district was asked to identify $20 million in reductions for FY27 to ensure it “remains fiscally stable and sustainable moving forward,” according to BCSD’s newsletter.

Superintendent Dan Sims repeatedly said Thursday that the items presented were responses to board questions, not formal recommendations.

After delaying a tentative budget adoption on May 14 to allow more time to evaluate options, the board will meet again on June 2 to approve a proposed budget.

Where cuts could be made

BCSD Chief Financial Officer Eric Bush presented seven possible cuts with labels next to each identifying it as either a “moderate threat” or “minimum threat.”

Sims said a minimal threat means the district can “figure it out,” while moderate represents a level of risk that is not advised because it would be difficult to manage and create additional challenges across the school system.

• Elimination of 12 central office vacancies: District leaders classified the move as a “moderate” threat, noting that existing staff would absorb extra workload. Project cost-savings would be $1.25 million.
• Central office furloughs: Staff with 200-day or more contracts could have their calendars reduced by five days, saving about $1.4 million. This is also a “moderate operational threat” to school support services and students.
• Freeze salary step increases: Saves about $2 million. Sims warned that such a move could damage staff morale and undercut the district’s ability to stay competitive.
• Implement GaDOE class size waiver: The district has already increased class sizes to the state maximum, but this would add two students per class, eliminating an estimated 35 positions and saving about $3.8 million. Board members raised concerns about reduced instructional time and classroom impact.
• Outsource new paraprofessional positions. Saves about $2.3 million by eliminating state health insurance and teacher retirement system costs, with the outsourced company providing benefits instead.
• An additional $670,000 in operational cuts.

The district said it prioritized attrition and the elimination of non-essential vacant positions before considering reductions to filled positions. It also highlighted making administrative and operational cuts before making deeper reductions affecting schools and classrooms.

Bush also cited a projected $1.7 million increase in revenue adjustments. He said implementing both the spending reductions and additional revenue would reduce the FY27 budget gap by $13.1 million.

The district acknowledged that the $20 million reduction target is substantial and may impact stakeholders.

“We are not able to find $23 million in cuts without an extreme threat to the organization in and of itself,” Sims said.

What happens next

At the May 14 board meeting, district leaders suggested considering a property tax increase to help stabilize finances in the coming years.

Bush said Thursday if the district maintains the current budget without reductions, it would likely have one year of fund balance remaining after FY 2027, which would force corrective action.

Sims also warned that reducing the fund balance next year could force major organizational restructuring and significant staff cuts, calling it a “strong potential of a massive restructure of the entire organization” without any other incoming revenue.

At the session, board member James Freeman said the district has repeatedly discussed “right-sizing” schools — through rezoning, consolidation, or both — but has not yet implemented recommendations from past efficiency and rezoning studies.

Board President Daryl Morton said the district can no longer “kick the can down the road” and must implement meaningful changes in how it delivers education, especially before asking taxpayers for additional support.

“We can’t tax our way out of our situation,” Morton said, and called for a plan that’s more responsive without compromising classroom instruction. “We have to make fundamental changes in how we deliver education in this system ... We simply can’t wait anymore.”

In response to the taxpayer concern, Sims said, “My primary concern is, and will always be, the needs of our students, and I hope and pray one day we can get to the point where all of our taxpayers recognize the public school system as a viable piece of community that needs the support necessary for the education of all students.”

If the board approves the spending reductions, Sims said district leaders would have to navigate how to continue providing quality services for students with fewer resources, both human and operational.

“Even in the midst of financial challenges, we remain committed to protecting core instruction, literacy efforts, attendance supports, special education compliance, school safety and whole child supports,” the district said.

The final budget must be adopted by June 30. If it’s not, the board must approve a spending resolution to continue the district’s financial operations.