Liggins Shares Next Steps in Budget Process

In an afternoon message to staff and families, Superintendent Demetrus Liggins shared more details about the financial status of Fayette County Public Schools. 

"We feel confident that the beginning balance for this year’s budget will be lower than the $42 million estimated in the Tentative Budget adopted in May," he wrote. "This is happening in school districts across the nation and right here in Kentucky. Although we find ourselves in a better position than many of our peers, this challenge must be addressed."

Effective immediately, FCPS will:

• Reassign the Financial Accounting & Benefits Services and the Budget & Financial Planning departments to report directly to the superintendent
• Implement a mandatory hold on filling any district office vacancies.
• Limit all out-of-state or overnight professional development travel funded by the general fund to mandatory purposes only
• Pause all maintenance projects unless they are directly related to health or safety needs
• Hire retirees only for substitute teaching roles
• Provide monthly public updates to keep the community informed
• Launch an internal review of current and past financial procedures to ensure best practices

A Budget Solutions Work Group was convened this summer to consider ways to address a potential $16 million funding shortfall because expenses are increasing faster than revenue. One of their top 10 recommendations was to use money from the contingency fund to fill that gap.

"Given our current circumstances, I will recommend that the board maintain only the state-required minimum contingency this year," Liggins wrote. "Any funds above that amount could then be considered when reviewing recommendations from the Budget Solutions Work Group." 

Liggins said he will be working closely with the school board’s Budget & Finance Committee and will convene a long-term work group to begin meeting no later than the beginning of September.