School Board Includes New Spending Requests in Proposed Tentative Budget

In order to comply with a request by members of the county budget committee to have a proposed spending plan in their hands by the first of the month, the Board of Education Thursday night held a workshop and then met in special session to adopt a tentative budget for the 2015-16 school year. But unless the budget committee approves it as presented, the plan is likely to be changed.
The problem the board faces is that the school system is spending more than it takes in. Last year, the school board had to appropriate about $250,000 from its fund balance or reserves to cover expenses. At least the same is expected again this year even without adding new spending.
Still, knowing that the school system is possibly facing another deficit this year, the board Thursday night voted to add more spending to the proposed budget for next year, based on school needs including some required by the state, which according to Board Chairman W.J. (Dub) Evins, III would increase the anticipated budget deficit by $475,620.
The proposed budget includes new funding requests for a computer teacher at Smithville Elementary School, Response to Intervention (RTI) teachers at DeKalb Middle School and DCHS, a new janitor position at DeKalb West School, funds to cover extended contracts , a school nurse position, technology upgrades, among other proposed new expenditures. Response to Intervention (RTI) is a multi-tiered framework that schools can adopt to identify and help struggling learners — before they fail.
The board plans to provide members of the county budget committee an explanation as to why the new spending is needed hoping they will come up with the money to fund it.
If the budget committee turns down the proposed school budget, the Board of Education could be forced to make cuts.