Friday, May 17, 2002
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Friday, May 17, 2002 |
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School budget will top $583 million By JOHN
THOMPSON
The Fulton County School Board is winding down budget talks this week. School system business services director Harold Grindle said this year's budget is $583 million, but preliminary revenue estimates for this year are $576 million. With the discrepancy, the board will have to use nearly $6.5 million of its $37 million reserve to cover the programs it wants for next year. Grindle said a the board is looking at rolling back the millage rate by a quarter of a mill from last year's 19.02 mills. But state funding and sales tax funding are less this year, so officials are trying to juggle needs with revenue expectations. The board has tentatively agreed to a 1.5 percent raise for all the teachers in the system. "The state's recommendation was 3.25 percent raise for teachers, but that doesn't cover all teachers. Ours does." The non-teaching personnel will receive a 0.5 percent raise this year, he added. The School Board is also looking at providing up to $800,000 for at-risk schools that could receive failing grades and allocating $500,000 for expanding foreign language programs in elementary school. The system also agreed to decrease class size under Gov. Barnes' education reform plan. The system will have a public meeting on the budget at the administrative complex on Cleveland Avenue at 6 p.m. Wednesday. After the hearing, the School Board will hold a called meeting at 7 p.m. to set the tentative budget and millage rate. Final approval is expected at the June 13 meeting.
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