Our schools are facing a crisis in teacher retention and recruitment. 


We, the undersigned are calling for urgent action to support our Bibb County public school educators by:

1. Implementing a base salary increase of at least 5% for all Bibb County teachers
2. Raising the millage rate as necessary to balance the district budget and fund this pay increase responsibly.

According to School Board Member Henry Ficklin, “We had 43 teachers leave this school year, and many of them pointed out they were going to another system. That is critical to me — making sure that teachers are paid and that they feel they are valued in our system.”

Bibb County teachers are paid well below the market rate for both our region and the state. We cannot expect to attract or keep high-quality educators when surrounding districts offer significantly higher compensation. Teacher quality is directly tied to student outcomes — this is a community investment we cannot afford to delay.



Houston County recently approved a 17% bump giving first-year teachers nearly $51K, almost $7K more than Bibb.

The FY2026 budget currently accounts for many unfunded state mandates, including a $6,000 increase per classified employee in health insurance costs and increases in retirement contributions, technology refresh costs, and student services. The district’s leadership has responsibly trimmed $6 million from other areas, but without raising revenue, this leaves our teachers behind yet again.



We urge the Board to adopt a millage increase, if necessary, to fund competitive salaries and balance the budget. 4 mills would bring our property taxes in line with nearby counties and comparable metro districts from around the state. 



How does Bibb County compare?



Bibb County’s entry-level teacher pay is about $44,981 (FY25, bachelor’s/0 years). This is well below comparable counties: Houston County offers ~$50.96K, Clarke County (Athens) ~$50.29K. 



Like Bibb, Monroe/Jones/Peach County systems generally start in the mid-$40Ks. Bibb needs to have noticeably higher pay to compete with these smaller counties. 



GA Millage Rates



Bibb: 14.674

Houston: 11.719 **

Jones: 16.312

Monroe: 16.212

Peach: 14.500

Clarke (Athens): 18.800

Richmond (Augusta): 18.330

Muscogee (Columbus): 23.075


** Houston has a SPLOST that offsets the millage rate that other districts don’t have.

What Is a Millage Rate?



The millage rate (or “mill rate”) is the amount of tax you pay per $1,000 of your property’s assessed value. It’s how local governments — like school districts and counties — calculate property taxes.

1 mill = $1 of tax per $1,000 of assessed value.

In Georgia, a home’s assessed value is typically 40% of its market value.



So, for an example $200,000 home:

Assessed value = $80,000



At 1 mill = $80 in annual tax



At 14.674 mills (Bibb’s current school rate) = $1,174 in school taxes



If your home qualifies for a homestead exemption, your taxable value is reduced, so your actual tax bill would be even lower. There are other exemptions as well, including historical credits, elderly credits, disabled veteran and others. 

Why It Matters



Even a 1-mill increase can provide nearly $6 million in funding for Bibb County Schools — while costing most homeowners less than $10/month. It’s a small local investment with a big impact on teacher salaries, student outcomes, and school stability.



Together, we can ensure that Bibb County School District is successful and Built4Bibb!



Coverage:

Macon Melody

Macon Telegraph