Anderson County Schools budget heads to County Commission
The Anderson County Board of Education had its first regular meeting with new member Katherine Birkbeck, whom the school board appointed to replace the late Teresa Portwood. Pictured are board members Sherri Beaty and Don Bell, Director of Schools Tim Parrott, board Chairman Scott Gillenwaters, and members Jo Williams, Dail Cantrell, David Miller and Birkbeck. (photo:Ben Pounds )
The board unanimously approved the budget and related salary plan for school staff at its May 7 meeting.
It still must receive approval from the County Commission.
The total proposed budget is $81,235,620, with projected revenues of $80,682,063. That leaves a deficit of $553,557.
Anderson County Director of Schools Tim Parrott told The Courier News that the school system will not request a county property tax increase. Despite the deficit, Parrott said he was confident in the budget proposal.
“I think it’s a good, solid budget,” he said. “I think it takes care of the things we need to do.”
Parrott projected that the school system would receive less state and local funding than in previous years, although final figures are not yet available.
He said lower state funding would be tied to enrollment declines, as the school system is projecting 48 fewer students than this year, with the largest drop at the high school level.
Parrott said that some of the decline is from losing students to home-schooling.
He also said Oak Ridge Schools are likely to receive a larger share of county funding because they now account for a higher percentage of the county’s students.
Raises
The state of Tennessee already requires teacher raises totaling $745,688.63, but Anderson County Schools plans to increase pay for all employees beyond that requirement.
The proposed budget includes a 2% raise for all certified staff and a 5-cent-per-hour increase for classified employees.
Employees who have worked 10 or 20 years for the school system each would also receive a $500 raise.
Parrott said that employee raises are his favorite aspect of the proposed budget.
Chromebook cut
One major reduction in the budget is $450,000 in technology spending compared to the previous year.
Parrott said during both the regular meeting and an earlier work session that the reduction was possible because of the durability of the school system’s Chromebooks for elementary school students. He said the system could go another year without purchasing new devices.
programs
without grants
The school system also plans to continue some programs previously funded through grants that have expired.
Officials plan to keep some career and technical education middle school teaching positions that were previously funded through the CTE Innovative School Model Grant while cutting one position at the high school level. The total cost for the remaining employees is projected at $315,000.
The school system also plans to retain some mental health professionals previously funded through the Better Connections Mental Health Grant, while offsetting costs by eliminating one of four social worker positions. Total cost for those employees is projected at $185,000.
