School Board Adopts Revised Budget for 2015-16

The Board of Education is curtailing some costs in its proposed budget for the 2015-16 year.
After the county budget committee Tuesday night, June 2 rejected the original spending plan offered May 28, the school board Thursday night, made some cuts.
In the revised version adopted Thursday night, the board is cutting the request for two RTI positions down to one, hoping federal money can be used to fund the other. No local money will be included to cover extended contracts which are no longer funded by the state. The board has decided to save $4,100 by no longer having a billboard on the side of the road near the high school, which has been there for the last several years showing a picture of high school graduates with the theme “Education Counts in DeKalb County”. And the board is freezing funding for five positions in the school system, which have been left vacant with the recent retirement or resignation of former employees. While the funding for those five jobs will remain in the budget, it will not be spent unless the school system’s average daily membership numbers increase, requiring them to be filled. The board is also considering dropping its association with AdvancED for accreditation of the schools which would save the school system money. In the school transportation category, the board had budgeted $250,000 for the purchase of two buses but the cost is not expected to be that much. The board has cut $20,000 from that line item of the budget.
The board is still asking that a computer teacher be added at Smithville Elementary School, a new part time janitor position at DeKalb West School, a new school nurse, technology and equipment upgrades, additional supplies for classrooms and intervention programs, a deaf education contract, a new scrubber, and a few other proposed new expenditures.
Even with the changes, the school system is still expected to overspend it’s budget. 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.
The board’s revised proposed budget will be presented to the county’s budget committee Tuesday night, June 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the courthouse.