Fayette County Public Schools starts draft work on FY 2028 budget, targets first draft in December

Fayette County Public Schools has begun work on its fiscal year 2028 budget, an early step in the district’s annual process to map expected revenues and spending before the school system finalizes appropriations for the coming year. Interim Chief Financial Officer Kyna Koch said district staff are now developing the first draft, which she said is expected by December.

Koch described the work as part of the district’s multi-stage budgeting timeline, in which the initial draft is prepared before a tentative budget is released for further review. The district’s schedule, as outlined by Koch, calls for a tentative budget to be due next May, giving additional time for internal refinement and planning.

Budget planning in large school districts is typically closely watched by families, educators, and local taxpayers because it can shape classroom staffing levels, school operations, transportation planning, and funding for programs that support students. Koch’s comments underscore that FCPS is starting the next cycle early, before later stages of the process begin.

The district’s budgeting timeline also affects how quickly FCPS can respond to changes in costs, including utilities, contracted services, and employee-related expenses. Beginning draft development in October allows the district to incorporate information gathered earlier in the school year and to align staffing and operational needs with the projected funding picture.

FCPS is not finalizing the full budget at this stage. Koch’s remarks indicate that the district is focused on producing a first draft by December, with the tentative budget due next May, suggesting later review steps before the district moves toward final adoption.

The interim CFO role is part of the district’s leadership structure during this budget cycle, and Koch’s statement places her office at the center of coordinating the early work. As staff build the first draft, they will likely use forecasts and assumptions that can be adjusted in later drafts if new information emerges.

With the fiscal year 2028 budget still in development, the immediate next step for the district is completion of the December draft, followed by continued updates leading to the tentative budget deadline in May. Families and staff will have additional opportunities to review details as the district moves from draft to tentative materials.

FCPS’s budgeting process will continue through the coming months, with timelines that set expectations for when the district’s spending plan may become more visible to the public. For now, district officials are focused on meeting the early milestones described by Koch and preparing a document that can advance through subsequent stages of approval.