VALDOSTA — The Lowndes County Schools budget is set for the next school year.

The Lowndes County Board of Education approved a 2019-20 tentative budget Monday evening with estimated revenues and expenditures at $94,733,298.

The general fund amount, said Ken Overman, assistant superintendent, mainly gets money through state and local funds and is used to pay teacher salaries, maintenance and operation and student transportation.

The most expensive expenditure is instruction costs at almost $66 million. The school system will get $66,896,866 in state funds and $27,276,432 in local funds.

The other $28 million will go toward maintenance and operation, student transportation, school administration, pupil services, media services, business support services, central support services and other school-associated costs. 

The school system estimates having a little more than $25 million in its fund balance by June 30, based on last year’s fund balance.

Though typically money comes from local, state or federal funds, the upcoming Lowndes budget has more than $21 million coming from bonds — specifically to be used for the new Lowndes High School project.

The next board meeting is June 10. There is only one board meeting in June.

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.