Jun. 10—Adding another big piece toward finalizing the county's fiscal year 2024-25 budget, Cumberland County's budget committee unanimously approved the Board of Education's 2024-25 fiscal year budget during its meeting last Thursday.
Director of Schools William Stepp presented the BOE's $77 million budget saying, "We are roughly $7 million over last year's budget, and this executive summary includes the highlights of those increases."
He explained 85% of the increase is wages, taxes and benefits.
"This is a balanced budget, and we are ending with roughly $1.7 million over the [state] required 3% fund balance," Stepp said.
Joe Sherrill, 6th District commissioner, asked, "What's the MOE [maintenance of effort]?"
"I believe it's $19 million," Stepp replied.
Maintenance of effort is the amount of funding the county is required by the state to fund the board of education.
"This is a balanced budget, so there's no additional requests," Stepp said.
He also explained that funding for fencing at Homestead Elementary was moved to this budget year, rather than the original plan of having it in the 2024-25 fiscal year budget.
Highlights of the increases in the BOE budget include:
—$4,968,723 increase for wages, taxes and benefits of employees.
—$814,000 difference in maintenance projects.
—$422,500 in capital outlay for projects at Cumberland County High School.
—$275,260 for new school bus purchases.
—$171,000 for insurance increases for workers compensation and contents.
—$707,331 for a 4% pay increase for classified employees.
—$3,129,639 for a 3% increase for certified employees plus step raise on the teacher scale meeting state minimum salary requirements for 593 employees.
—$55,205 for a 2% salary increase for 34 certified employee administrators.
—$368,000 for a 6% increase in 2024-25 medical insurance.
—$61,891 for TCRS 8.75% rate for classified employees.
—$286,635 for TCRS 9% rate for certified employees.
—No increase on life or dental insurance rates.
—10% increase on most software products.
—357 regular teaching positions.
—Eight 120-day interventionists and one 180-day to address learning loss.
—Five extra days for each high school counselor.
—Five extra days for assistant principals.
—Five extra days for Career and Technical Education coach plus 10 extra for guidance counselor.
—Replace teachers' laptop computers at Pine View, Pleasant Hill and Crab Orchard elementary schools.
—Workers Compensation insurance increased 25% over 2023-24 budget.
The budget estimates an ending fund balance for 2024-25 school year at $4.09 million.