The St. Johns County School District presented a $1.558 billion budget for the 2026-2027 school year at its final public hearing Thursday, Sept. 10.

The spending plan, outlined in the district's budget presentation, covers more than 58,138 students across the district, including families at Ponte Vedra High School, Allen D. Nease High School, Valley Ridge Academy and Palm Valley Academy. It carries a total millage levy of 6.264 mills, down 0.008 mills from the prior year's 6.272.

For a homestead property assessed at $280,000 with no change in value, the school tax bill would drop $2.04 to $1,597.32. If that same property's assessed value rises 3% to $288,400, the bill would increase $50.58 to $1,649.94.

Teacher salary supplements

The budget directs revenue from a voter-approved 1-mill levy toward salary supplements for instructional staff, tiered by years of service:

  • 0–5 years: $5,000
  • 6–10 years: $6,100
  • 11–15 years: $7,250
  • 16–20 years: $8,400
  • 21 or more years: $9,600

Those are full-time rates. The supplements cover 3,375 employees, including classroom teachers, guidance counselors, speech-language pathologists, media specialists and school psychologists. The estimated cost is $29.3 million including retirement and payroll taxes.

St. Johns County voters approved the additional mill on Nov. 5, 2024, with 68.21% support. The levy runs through fiscal year 2029.

Non-instructional support staff, including bus operators, custodians, food service workers and paraprofessionals, receive a flat $7,190 supplement. That covers 2,256 employees at an estimated cost of $19.8 million.

A third group of 841 employees, including school nurses, principals, assistant principals, athletic directors, registrars and bookkeepers, also receives referendum supplements. School board members, Superintendent Dr. Brennan Asplen and cabinet-level staff are excluded.

Where the money goes

The 1-mill levy generates roughly $66.8 million total. Of that, 85% goes to recruiting and retaining teachers and staff. Another 6% funds school safety, 4% supports student welfare and 3.5% preserves educational programs. Charter schools receive 1.5%.

The school safety allocation of about $4.1 million covers nine youth resource deputy positions, safety monitors and reunification and drill management systems. The student welfare allocation of roughly $2.9 million funds additional nurses, behavior support staff at Southwoods, Webster and Gamble schools, and 27 adult assistants for students with disabilities.

Budget breakdown

The general operating fund totals $654.8 million. The capital projects fund accounts for $661.8 million, supported by a 1.5-mill capital outlay levy projected to generate $96.7 million.

Sixty-two percent of general fund spending goes to classroom teaching. The district spent 82.55% of operating expenditures on instruction in 2024-25, the highest rate among comparable-size Florida districts listed in the presentation.

The 2026 Florida Legislature increased state funding for St. Johns County schools by approximately $25.6 million, according to the district's tentative budget book. Per-student funding rose about 1.55% to $9,352.72.

The district is also opening two new K-8 schools this year, bringing the total to five new schools in three years.

Board Chair Jennifer Collins and the four other board members were listed on the hearing presentation. The $1.558 billion figure presented Sept. 10 is up from the $1.552 billion tentative budget outlined at the July 30 first public hearing.