ATLANTA - The Atlanta Board of Education has approved a $1.3 billion budget for fiscal year 2026, embracing a "back to basics" approach aimed at closing a financial deficit while preserving key investments in teachers, literacy, and school safety.

The budget, passed during the board’s regular meeting on Monday night, reallocates resources to support classroom instruction and foundational learning while trimming central office costs and duplicative programs.

The backstory:

The newly adopted budget includes a $45 million increase in direct school-level funding and an additional $11 million targeted for core classroom instruction. Resources will be concentrated at the elementary level to bolster early learning.

Cuts made in the current year have allowed the district to fast-track the ad

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