The Richmond County School System follows a fiscal year schedule set by the state of Georgia, beginning July 1 and ending June 30.

State law requires all public school systems to adopt a balanced budget, approved by the local Board of Education, before the start of each fiscal year.

Several factors are considered when developing the RCSS budget, including changes in student enrollment and county population, projected revenues, class sizes, the number of state- vs. locally funded positions, and the county’s tax base, which influences the millage rate.

Our school system receives funding from three main sources:

• Local Revenue: Generated from property taxes (millage rate), which help fund our facilities, staff, and classroom resources.

• State Funding: Determined by the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula and adjusted based on local tax digest values and student needs (FTE).

• Federal Grants: Support specific programs such as Title I and IDEA.