The student population for the Thomasville City Schools District will remain essentially unchanged for the 2026-27 year.
The Enrollment Numbers
The school system projected approximately 958.85 students for fiscal year 2027, compared to 960.95 in FY 2026 — a difference of about two students. The system continues to register students throughout the school year, so the figure is not final.
The projection breaks down to 277.15 students at Thomasville High School, 291.9 at Thomasville Middle School and 389.8 at Thomasville Elementary School.
The fractional figures reflect how enrollment is counted for funding purposes. Alabama school systems report average daily membership rather than a headcount, meaning a student enrolled for part of the counting period contributes a fraction of a student to the total.
Why the Next 20 Days Matter
The average daily membership of students enrolled in the system is recorded for the 20 days after Labor Day. That average, across those 20 days, will determine the amount of state funding the system receives in 2027-28.
This is the single most consequential administrative period in an Alabama school district’s year. State funding under the Foundation Program is driven by ADM, and the count is taken during a fixed window rather than averaged across the full year. A district that loses students during that window — to absences, to withdrawals, to enrollment paperwork not yet processed — carries the funding consequence into the following budget year.
It is also why districts push attendance campaigns in September with an urgency that can seem out of proportion to a few days of school. The stakes are measured in the following year’s revenue.
Staffing
Approximately 140.24 employees serve the school system, including 65.48 teachers.
Against a projected enrollment of roughly 959 students, that works out to about 14.6 students per teacher system-wide — a ratio that reflects the smaller class sizes typical of a compact city district.
The FY 2027 Budget
The board held the first of two budget hearings for FY 2027 at its Aug. 25 meeting. CFO Anjelica Gibson presented preliminary details of the new budget during a work session before the regular meeting.
Final revenue and expenditure numbers for the FY 2027 budget will be presented at the Sept. 8 meeting.
Anticipated local revenues for FY 2027 include $1.659 million in county tax revenue. Local government revenue includes $100,000 from the Thomasville City Council, $550,000 in district sales taxes and $19,000 in district alcohol beverage taxes.
The composition of those local revenues is worth noting. Sales and alcohol beverage taxes are consumption-based and fluctuate with local economic activity, while the county tax revenue and city appropriation are more stable. A district drawing more than half a million dollars from sales tax has revenue that rises and falls with retail activity in Thomasville.
Financial Report
The board approved the financial report for July 26, including payroll of $1.024 million and accounts payable of $264,415.04.
Facilities and Insurance
The board approved a $147,081.31 bid with Interior Elements for the remodeling of the Thomasville Middle School cafeteria.
The board also approved the renewal of its liability coverage with Risk Management for $474, effective Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027.
Personnel Actions
The board approved the hiring of Cassandra Powell and Barbara Jenkins as substitute bus drivers, and Janaija Dixon as a Child Nutrition Program assistant at Thomasville Elementary School.
The board approved the transfer of Angela Bradford from instructional aide at Thomasville High School to clerical aide at THS.
Volunteers Approved
The board approved the following volunteers: JaCoby Holt, Ja’Shun Henderson, Tevin Watters, Korey Adams, James “Nic” Newton, Chase Dunham, Walt Anderson, Coleman Anderson, Charlene Pugh, Jamie Fontan, Tim Robinson, Tanner Williams and Kenny Adams.
Board approval of volunteers is a required step rather than a formality. Adults working with students in an official capacity must be cleared through the board, which creates a documented record of who is authorized to be on campus in that role.
TEAMS Contracts
The board approved TEAMS contracts for LaToria McCall, Kimberly Smith, Hannah Dozier, Phala Mims, Sandra Shamburger and Cody Drinkard.
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Thomasville City Board of Education will be held at 5 p.m. on Sept. 8 in the Thomasville High library, where the final FY 2027 budget figures will be presented.