Bad Links?
Other glitches?
Notify Webmaster

Teachers’ raises: 2.4 up to 7% as BoE’s proposed $164 million budget rises 5% more than this year; tax rate may drop, official says

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

Fayette County taxpayers got a small glimmer of good news at Monday night’s Board of Education meeting.

The board tentatively approved a $164 million general fund budget that calls for a small reduction in the maintenance and operation millage rate.

“We won’t know the exact amount until we get the final tax digest from the tax commissioner,” said Finance Director Lee Davis.

This year’s budget also features raises for teachers and employees on the unified salary schedule. Teachers will receive the 2 percent cost of living increase from the state, plus their step increases.

“It’s really difficult to say what percentage teachers will get. It will range from 2.4 percent to 7 percent,” Davis said.

Employees on the unified salary schedule will get a 3.5 percent raise, he added.

The budget also includes $1.4 million in funding for more than 20 new positions, including 12 teachers, four custodians and two maintenance technicians.

The majority of funding for this year’s budget comes from property taxes. Davis projects $84 million, or 51 percent, will be funded from tax bills.

He explained that in previous years, the funding percentages used to be 60 percent from the state and 40 percent from local sources. But recent economic downturns have forced the state to turn much of the funding back to local school boards.

Last year’s budget was $156 million, or 5 percent less. The bulk of the difference in this year’s budget is an additional $4.4 million in salary costs.

Davis said the Fayette County School System also made a conscious effort to provide more local funding for fine arts programs, which many systems have abandoned during tight economic times.

The finance director also said this year’s budget continues the long-standing trend of spending the vast majority of money inside schools, instead of on administrative costs.

More than $112 million is spent on salaries, which is almost 69 percent of the budget. Only $944,674 goes to general administrative costs, which is .57 percent.

“That’s a real small percentage,” he said.

Final approval of the budget is expected at the June 20 board meeting.

In other news, the board approved the 2006 calendar, but with stipulations. The first day of school is Aug. 7 and school ends May 25. The problem board members had with the calendar was the two half-days off for students scheduled Oct. 19 and Feb. 16.

“It was my understanding that the after-school program would be available those days and that’s not what we’re hearing now,” said board member Janet Smola.

Assistant Superintendent for Education Pam Riddle said she had talked with the school system’s after-school director who was not confident she could offer the program then.

“I have some serious concerns about this,” said board Chairman Terri Smith.

The board instructed Superintendent John DeCotis to re-examine the issue for 2006 and next year’s calendar. If something can’t be worked out, the board said an option would be for students to go to school on the two-half days and take another day off during the year.