Knox County Schools Approve 2026-2027 Budget
Knox County Schools recently held a meeting to discuss and approve the budget for the upcoming 2026-2027 school year. During the session, district leaders approved a general purpose budget of $717,685,000, along with an $82,011,000 capital budget and a $33,943,000 school nutrition budget.
One of the key topics addressed during the meeting was staffing adjustments related to enrollment changes. The budget outlines that 57 teaching positions will be reduced next school year. However, district officials clarified that this does not necessarily mean those teachers were fired. Instead, they may have been reassigned to different schools or grade levels to better align with student enrollment numbers across elementary, middle, and high schools.
Staffing Changes Across Elementary Schools
The budget provides a detailed breakdown of staffing changes at each elementary school:
- A.L. Lotts Elementary – Gaining 1 teacher
- Adrian Burnett Elementary – Losing 1 teacher
- Amherst Elementary – No change
- Ball Camp Elementary – No change
- Bearden Elementary – Gaining 3 teachers
- Beaumont Magnet – No change
- Belle Morris Elementary – Losing 1 teacher
- Blue Grass Elementary – No change
- Bonny Kate Elementary – Losing 1 teacher
- Brickey-McCloud Elementary – Losing 2 teachers
- Carter Elementary – Losing 1 teacher
- Cedar Bluff Elementary – Losing 5 teachers
- Chilhowee Intermediate – No change
- Christenberry Elementary – No change
- Copper Ridge Elementary – No change
- Corryton Elementary – No change
- Dogwood Elementary – Losing 1 teacher
- East Knox Elementary – Losing 2 teachers
- Farragut Intermediate – Losing 1 teacher
- Farragut Primary – No change
- Fountain City Elementary – Losing 3 teachers
- Gap Creek Elementary – No change
- Gibbs Elementary – Gaining 3 teachers
- Green Academy – No change
- Halls Elementary – Gaining 1 teacher
- Hardin Valley Elementary – Gaining 1 teacher
- Inskip Elementary – Gaining 2 teachers
- Karns Elementary – Losing 2 teachers
- Lonsdale Elementary – No change
- Maynard Elementary – Gaining 1 teacher
- Mill Creek Elementary – Gaining 2 teachers
- Mooreland Heights Elementary – Losing 3 teachers
- Mount Olive Elementary – Gaining 1 teacher
- New Hopewell Elementary – Gaining 1 teacher
- Northshore Elementary – Losing 1 teacher
- Norwood Elementary – No change
- Pleasant Ridge Elementary – No change
- Pond Gap Elementary – No change
- Powell Elementary – Losing 5 teachers
- Ritta Elementary – Losing 1 teacher
- Rocky Hill Elementary – Gaining 3 teachers
- Sarah Moore Greene Magnet – Gaining 2 teachers
- Sequoyah Elementary – Losing 2 teachers
- Shannondale Elementary – Gaining 1 teacher
- South Knox Elementary – No change
- Spring Hill Elementary – Gaining 1 teacher
- Sterchi Elementary – Gaining 1 teacher
- Sunny View Primary – Losing 1 teacher
- West Haven Elementary – Losing 1 teacher
- West Hills Elementary – Gaining 1 teacher
- West View Elementary – Losing 2 teachers
Staffing Adjustments in Middle Schools
Middle schools also experienced staffing changes, with several losing teaching positions:
- Bearden Middle – Losing 3 teachers
- Carter Middle – No change
- Cedar Bluff Middle – Losing 3 teachers
- Farragut Middle – Losing 2 teachers
- Gibbs Middle – No change
- Gresham Middle – Losing 1 teacher
- Halls Middle – Losing 2 teachers
- Hardin Valley Middle – Gaining 1 teacher
- Holston Middle – Losing 1 teacher
- Karns Middle – Losing 3 teachers
- Northwest Middle – Gaining 4 teachers
- Powell Middle – Losing 1 teacher
- South-Doyle Middle – Losing 1 teacher
- Vine Middle/Magnet – Losing 1 teacher
- West Valley Middle – Gaining 2 teachers
- Whittle Springs Middle – No change
Staffing Changes at High Schools
High schools also saw reductions in teaching staff:
- Austin East High – Losing 4 teachers
- Bearden High – Losing 5 teachers
- Carter High – Losing 3 teachers
- Central High – Losing 2 teachers
- Farragut High – Losing 3 teachers
- Fulton High – Losing 1 teacher
- Gibbs High – Losing 1 teacher
- Halls High – Losing 4 teachers
- Hardin Valley Academy – Gaining 1 teacher
- Karns High – Losing 3 teachers
- Powell High – Losing 5 teachers
- South-Doyle High – Losing three teachers
- West High – Losing 2 teachers
- L & N STEM Academy – No change
Enrollment Trends and Budget Allocation
Board members highlighted enrollment trends, noting that incoming classes are expected to be smaller. Current projections suggest a decline of 900 students for the 2026-2027 school year. Approximately 76% of this decline is expected at the middle and high school levels, with significant drops also anticipated in 11th and 12th grades.
According to KCS, the budget is allocated as follows:
- 67% to salaries and wages
- 18% to payroll taxes and employee benefits
- 6% to contracted services
- 4% to supplies and materials
- 4% to other uses
- 1% to debt service and capital leases
The school board must submit the budget to the county commission by May 1.
