District Overview
FY 2026-27 Full Operating Budget
Complete picture of Pearl Public School District's $41M+ annual operating budget, covering all revenue sources, major expenditure lines, and $11.7M in strategic investment requests across 5 goals.
Total Operating Revenue
$41.0M
MSFF + Local + Federal
MSFF State Funding
$27.95M
▼ $583K from FY26
Local Revenue
$13.06M
Ad Valorem + RC Tax
Strategic Requests
$11.73M
Across 5 goals
Projected Enrollment
4,139
FY27 projected
Health Insurance
$3.11M
↑ $155K · Rate $540/mo
PERS Contributions
$4.89M
↑ $125K · 17.4% rate
Debt Service
$1.44M
GO Bonds + Tax Note
MSFF Funding DecreaseState funding formula drops $583,062 in FY27. Enrollment decline from 4,252 to 4,139 is the primary driver. This is the district's largest single revenue source at $27.95M.
Revenue Sources
FY 2026-27 Total Operating Budget
Strategic Goal Requests ($11.73M)
Investment requests by strategic priority
Major Expenditure Lines
Key cost centers (FY26 vs FY27)
Revenue & Funding
Where the Money Comes From
PPSD operates on a blended funding model drawing from state formula funding, local property taxes, federal programs, and grants.
MSFF (State Formula)
$27,954,086
▼ $583,062 vs FY26
Ad Valorem (Property Tax)
$11,057,413
↑ $157,413 vs FY26
RC Tax Revenue
$2,000,000
↑ $400,000 vs FY26
| Revenue Source | FY26 Budget | FY27 Budget | Change | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi School Funding Formula (MSFF) | $28,537,148 | $27,954,086 | –$583,062 | Enrollment decline primary driver |
| Ad Valorem (Property Tax) | $10,900,000 | $11,057,413 | +$157,413 | MSFF budgeted increase |
| RC Tax Revenue | $1,600,000 | $2,000,000 | +$400,000 | Historical trend + increase |
| Total Operating Revenue | — | $41,011,499 | –$25,649 | MSFF + Local combined |
Federal & Grant Funding
Federal and grant revenues flow primarily through Title I, IDEA, E-Rate, and Child Nutrition programs. These funds are restricted to specific programs and are not part of the general operating budget above.
| Program | Funding Type | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|
| Title I / Federal Programs | Federal | $125,870 in FY27 requests for federal program adjustments |
| IDEA (Special Education) | Federal | SPED materials, personnel supports at PJH |
| E-Rate (FCC Program) | Federal | 80% of tech costs covered; district pays 20% ($87,195) |
| Child Nutrition | Federal | Serving line upgrades at PLE, PHS, PNE |
| EEF / State Grants | Grant | Camera systems, cell repeaters, access control |
State Funding Formula
Mississippi School Funding Formula (MSFF)
MSFF is the largest single revenue source for PPSD, generating $27.95M in FY27. The formula is driven by enrollment count, with adjustments for special education and low-income students.
$583,062 Decrease from FY26Enrollment declined from the prior 23-month average of 4,252. Each student lost reduces the base allocation by $4,159.50. This is the single largest financial pressure facing the district in FY27.
FY27 MSFF Total
$27,954,086
▼ $583,062 vs FY26
Base Student Cost (BSC)
$4,159.50
Per student, per year
23-Month Avg Enrollment
4,252
Used in MSFF calculation
Low-Income Supplement
$1,541,892
Added to base
| MSFF Component | FY26 | FY27 | Change | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total MSFF Allocation | $28,537,148 | $27,954,086 | –$583,062 | Largest district revenue source |
| Base Student Cost × Enrollment | $4,159.50 × 4,252 students | Core MSFF formula calculation | ||
| SPED Tier II | $3,187,623 | Special Education supplemental funding | ||
| Low Income Supplement | $1,541,892 | Added based on economically disadvantaged count | ||
What Drives MSFF?The Base Student Cost (BSC) is $4,159.50 per student set by the state, but Pearl's effective MSFF rate is $6,575/student when SPED and low-income add-ons are included. Retaining and growing enrollment is the most direct lever for revenue. Losing 140 students (FY25→FY27 projected) costs the district ~$920K in effective MSFF value annually.
Plain Language Guide
How Does MSFF Actually Work?
The Mississippi School Funding Formula (MSFF) is the state's way of distributing education dollars to every district. Here's what every teacher, administrator, and board member should understand about where $27.9 million of our budget comes from.
🏛️ What Is MSFF?
The Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) — now called the Mississippi School Funding Formula (MSFF) — is a state law that calculates how much money each school district receives from the state each year. Think of it as a recipe: plug in your district's numbers, and out comes your funding allocation.
For Pearl Public School District, MSFF provides $27,954,086 — about 68% of our total operating revenue. It is by far our largest funding source.
The Formula — Step by Step
Step 1 — Base Calculation
$4,159.50 × students
The Base Student Cost (BSC) is set by the state legislature each year. For every student counted in the 23-month average, PPSD receives $4,159.50.
+
Step 2 — SPED Add-On
$3,187,623
Special Education students qualify for Tier II supplemental funding on top of the base amount. This reflects the higher cost of serving students with disabilities.
+
Step 3 — Low Income Add-On
$1,541,892
Districts with higher percentages of economically disadvantaged students receive additional funding. Pearl qualifies for $1.54M in low-income supplement.
FY27 Total MSFF Allocation
$27,954,086
Base ($22,224,571) + SPED ($3,187,623) + Low Income ($1,541,892)
📅 The 23-Month Average — Why It Matters
Mississippi does not use a single day's enrollment count. Instead, it averages attendance from two prior school years — 23 months of data. For Pearl's FY27 allocation, the state used an average enrollment of 4,252 students.
Why this hurts Pearl in FY27Our actual projected enrollment is 4,139 — but our 23-month average is 4,252. This means we're being funded for more students than we actually have. However, the reverse is also true: as enrollment drops, future MSFF payments will shrink. Every student we lose today costs us ~$6,575 in next year's funding (effective MSFF rate including all add-ons).
🧮 Enrollment Impact Calculator
Move the slider to see how enrollment changes affect MSFF revenue
Enrollment:
4,252
Est. Total MSFF
$27,954,086
All components combined
vs Current FY27
$0
No change
Effective MSFF / Student
$6,575
BSC $4,160 + SPED + Low Income add-ons
What Can We Do About It?
✅ Things PPSD Controls
- Improve student retention — keep enrolled kids enrolled
- Attract new students through program quality
- Accurate daily attendance tracking (drives the count)
- Early childhood programs (ECEC grows the pipeline)
- Marketing and community engagement
❌ Things PPSD Cannot Control
- The Base Student Cost — set by state legislature
- The PERS contribution rate — set by state
- The 23-month averaging methodology
- Regional population trends
- Competition from private/charter schools
Quick Reference — Key Numbers
| Term | Value (FY27) | Plain English |
|---|---|---|
| Base Student Cost (BSC) | $4,159.50 | What the state pays per student, per year |
| 23-Month Avg Enrollment | 4,252 students | The count used to calculate our MSFF payment |
| SPED Tier II Supplement | $3,187,623 | Extra funding for special education students |
| Low Income Supplement | $1,541,892 | Extra funding based on % of economically disadvantaged students |
| FY27 Total MSFF | $27,954,086 | Total state formula payment to Pearl this year |
| Change from FY26 | –$583,062 | Decline driven by lower 23-month enrollment average |
| MSFF % of Total Revenue | 68.2% | MSFF is by far our largest funding source |
| Each Additional Student | +$4,160/yr | Revenue gained by enrolling one more student |
Strategic Investments
5 Strategic Goals — $11.73M in Requests
All budget requests are tied to one of five district strategic goals. These are investment REQUESTS — amounts requested across all departments and schools for FY27.
Total Requests
$11,731,426
All 5 goals combined
Schools / Depts
20
Submitting requests
Total Line Items
251+
Individual requests
Largest Goal
$7.14M
Goal 4 — Facilities
| # | Strategic Goal | Total Requested | % of Total | Items | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1 | Increase Student Achievement | $1,515,699 | 12.9% | 100 items | Curriculum, instructional tech, assessments |
| G2 | Pathways & Opportunities | $100,597 | 0.9% | 26 items | CTE, SPED, career exploration, SLP |
| G3 | Safe & Nurturing Environment | $2,120,133 | 18.1% | 59 items | Security, access control, PATH project |
| G4 | State of the Art Facilities | $7,142,361 | 60.9% | 110 items | Transportation, infrastructure, tech upgrades |
| G5 | Recruit & Retain Personnel | $852,636 | 7.3% | 15 items | Salary scale, PERS, health insurance |
Requests by Goal
Dollar allocation
Goal 4 Deep Dive
Facilities = 60.9% of all requests
Strategic Goal 1
Increase Student Achievement
$1,515,699 in requests across curriculum adoption, instructional technology, professional development, and assessment tools. Covers all schools and district-wide curriculum initiatives.
Goal 1 Total
$1,515,699
12.9% of all requests
Line Items
100
Across all schools
Largest Item
$436K
SPED Program Materials
| School/Dept | Item | Amount | Owner | Funding | Notes |
|---|
Strategic Goal 2
Pathways & Opportunities
$100,597 in requests supporting CTE programs, SPED services, career exploration, and student support pathways. Includes a Full-Time SLP position at PLE.
Goal 2 Total
$100,597
0.9% of all requests
Line Items
26
Across schools/depts
Key New Position
SLP
Full-Time at PLE · $72,755
| School/Dept | Item | Amount | Owner | Funding | Notes |
|---|
Strategic Goal 3
Safe & Nurturing Environment
$2,120,133 in requests for school safety infrastructure, access control, security technology, and the PATH Project behavioral program. Includes property & liability insurance increases.
Goal 3 Total
$2,120,133
18.1% of all requests
PATH Project
$685,000
Behavioral support program
FortiNAC Security
$200,000
Network access control
| School/Dept | Item | Amount | Owner | Funding | Notes |
|---|
Strategic Goal 4
State of the Art Facilities
$7,142,361 — the largest goal category. Covers transportation fleet (6 new buses), major technology infrastructure (Nutanix VM, Dell PowerStore), building improvements, flooring, and MSFF formula adjustments.
Goal 4 Total
$7,142,361
60.9% of all requests
Transportation
$2,642,681
6 buses + fuel + staff
Technology
$572,107
Nutanix, Dell, E-Rate
MSFF Decrease
–$583K
State formula cut (shown here)
| School/Dept | Item | Amount | Owner | Funding | Notes |
|---|
Strategic Goal 5
Recruit & Retain Personnel
$852,636 in requests for teacher salary step increases, non-certified staff raises, health insurance rate increases, PERS contribution increases, and new stipends/supplements.
Goal 5 Total
$852,636
7.3% of all requests
Teacher Step Increase
$209,873
Salary scale step
TA Pay Increase
$189,825
$2,000 hourly rate for TAs
| School/Dept | Item | Amount | Owner | Funding | Notes |
|---|
Budget Analysis
Requested vs. Approved
Comparison of what each goal and school requested versus what was ultimately approved in the FY 2026-27 budget. $11.73M was requested; $4.50M was approved — 38.4% funding rate overall.
Total Requested
$11,731,426
All 5 strategic goals
Total Approved
$4,502,528
Final FY27 budget
Not Funded
$7,228,898
Deferred or denied
Overall Funding Rate
38.4%
Of total requests approved
Requested vs Approved by Goal
Dollar amounts — all 5 strategic goals
Funding Rate by Goal
% of request that was approved
| # | Strategic Goal | Requested | Approved | Unfunded | Funding Rate |
|---|
By School / Department
Approved amounts by campus from the final FY27 budget document.
| School / Dept | Goal 1 | Goal 2 | Goal 3 | Goal 4 | Goal 5 | Approved Total |
|---|
Note on Goal 5 (Personnel)Goal 5 approved ($926,764) exceeds requested ($852,636) because the approved budget includes the School Based Admin Assistant Increase ($19,679) and Personnel/Public Relations adjustments not captured in the original request total.
By School & Department
Budget Requests by Campus
Total FY27 budget requests broken down by school or department, showing contributions to each of the 5 strategic goals.
| School / Department | Goal 1 | Goal 2 | Goal 3 | Goal 4 | Goal 5 | Total | Funding Types |
|---|
Student Enrollment
Enrollment Trends FY23–FY27
Enrollment drives MSFF state funding. The projected FY27 district total of 4,139 includes 4,094 students across K–12 campuses plus 45 ECEC (Pre-K) students funded separately by the district. The 23-month average of 4,252 used in the MSFF formula reflects prior higher enrollment, resulting in a $583K funding reduction as the average catches up to current levels.
FY27 Projected
4,139
District total (incl. 45 ECEC)
FY25 Actual
4,157
Prior year
MSFF Avg Used
4,252
23-month average
Base Student Cost
$4,160
State-set BSC · effective rate $6,575
Enrollment by School (FY23–FY27)
Five-year trend by campus
Enrollment by Grade (FY23–FY25)
Pre-K through 12th grade
| School | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 | FY27 Proj. | Change FY25→FY27 |
|---|
Major Budget Line
Health Insurance
Health insurance is the district's second-largest personnel cost after salaries. The FY27 rate increases from $513 to $540 per employee per month, driving a $155,365 year-over-year increase.
FY27 Total Cost
$3,107,303
Annual district cost
FY26 Total Cost
$2,951,938
Prior year
Year-Over-Year Increase
$155,365
+5.3%
FY27 Monthly Rate
$540/mo
Per employee
| Fiscal Year | Monthly Rate per Employee | % Increase | Annual District Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY24 | $459 | — | — |
| FY25 | $482 | +5.0% | — |
| FY26 | $513 | +6.4% | $2,951,938 |
| FY27 | $540 | +5.3% | $3,107,303 |
Monthly Health Insurance Expenditure
FY26 vs FY27 — by month
| Month | FY26 | FY27 | Difference |
|---|
Major Budget Line
PERS — Public Employees Retirement System
The district contributes 17.4% of each employee's salary to PERS (Public Employees' Retirement System of Mississippi). This is the largest single personnel-related fixed cost for PPSD.
0.5% Rate Increase in FY27The PERS contribution rate increased 0.5 percentage points in FY27, adding $125,153 to district costs. This rate is set by the state and cannot be negotiated.
FY27 PERS Cost
$4,894,379
17.4% of salary base
FY26 PERS Cost
$4,769,226
Prior year
Year-Over-Year Increase
$125,153
+2.6%
How PERS Works
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Contribution Rate (FY27) | 17.4% of gross salary |
| Rate Change | +0.5% from FY26 (was 16.9%) |
| Who Sets the Rate | State of Mississippi — non-negotiable |
| Who Pays | Employer (district) contribution — separate from employee's own PERS deduction |
| FY27 Annual Cost | $4,894,379 total employer contribution |
| Included in Goal 5 | $125,153 increase is listed as a Goal 5 (Personnel) budget request |
Major Budget Line
Utilities
PPSD budgets $1,381,500 in utilities for FY27, a $61,300 increase from FY26. The largest driver is electricity (+$168K projected), partially offset by decreases in water and fuel.
FY27 Total Budget
$1,381,500
↑ $61,300 vs FY26
Electricity (Largest)
$900,000
↑ $168K · +23%
FY24 Actual Total
$1,419,472
All utilities actual
| Utility | FY24 Actual | FY25 YTD | FY26 Budget | FY27 Budget | Change | % |
|---|
Utility Budget by Category
FY26 vs FY27
Electricity by Campus — FY24 Actual
Pearl High School is by far the largest electricity consumer. FY25 data is partial year.
| Campus | FY24 Actual | FY25 Partial | % of Total (FY24) |
|---|
Debt Service
Bond & Note Obligations
PPSD carries two long-term debt instruments totaling $1,443,256 in FY27 payments. These are legally required annual payments that must be made regardless of budget pressures.
Total Debt Service FY27
$1,443,256
Annual required payments
GO Bond 2016
$1,318,244
Principal + interest
Tax-Limited Note
$122,512
Principal + interest
| Debt Instrument | Principal | Interest | FY27 Total Payment | Account # |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GO Bonds 2016 | $960,000 | $358,244 | $1,318,244 | 4034-9006140-000-840-001-0000 |
| Tax-Limited Note | $105,000 | $17,512 | $122,512 | 4034-9006900-000-845-001-0000 |
| Escrow | — | — | $2,500 | — |
| Grand Total | $1,065,000 | $375,756 | $1,443,256 | — |
Non-Discretionary ObligationDebt service payments are legally mandated and cannot be reduced or deferred. They must be factored into all budget scenarios before any discretionary spending decisions.
Salary Adjustment Note
The FY27 budget also includes a $541,375 personnel salary adjustment allocation.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Personnel Salary Adjustment | $541,375 | Non-scaled admin, director, and non-certified staff adjustments |
Board Action Required
Fund Transfers
Several small fund balances require formal Board action to transfer to new fund accounts. These are administrative actions — no significant dollar amounts, but each requires a Board resolution.
Board Resolution RequiredEach of the transfers below requires the Board of Education to establish a new fund via formal resolution before the transfer can occur. These should be on the agenda for an upcoming board meeting.
| Description | From Account | Balance | To Fund | Board Action Required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drink Fund – PLE | 1155-7450000-000-000-000-4060 | $4,304.36 | Fund 1912 | Establish Fund 1912 via Board |
| Drink Fund – NSE | 1156-745-0000-000-000-000-5030 | $395.61 | Fund 1912 | Establish Fund 1912 via Board |
| Drink Fund – PUE | 1154-7450000-000-000-000-3100 | $406.56 | Fund 1912 | Establish Fund 1912 via Board |
| Scoreboard Fund | Fund 1600 | $0 | Fund 1913 | Establish Fund 1913 via Board |
What This Means for Board Members
- Two new special funds (Fund 1912 and Fund 1913) need to be formally established
- Fund 1912 will consolidate Drink Fund balances from PLE, NSE, and PUE ($5,106.53 total)
- Fund 1913 will formalize the Scoreboard Fund tracking
- These are clean-up items from prior fiscal years — low risk, administrative in nature