CCSD Budget Seeks To Reduce Class Sizes, Hire More Teachers

CANTON, GA -- Cherokee County School Board members on Thursday heard a budget forecast from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower that accommodates student growth while implementing class size reductions.

The preview was presented during the board's Strategic Work Session, and will be followed up with a full release of the recommended budget later this month. Public hearings are scheduled for June 6 and 15, with the board expected to adopt the budget on the latter date.

The proposed budget does not call for a millage rate increase, and maintains the Cherokee County School District's priorities with focusing on the classroom. Specifically, the budget calls for hiring 61 teachers and school-based staff to addressed projected growth in enrollment and class size reduction.

The district projects an additional 572 students to enroll at the start of the 2017-18 school year. However, it will move forward with plans to lower class size further to an average of 20 students in kindergarten through third-grade classes and 26 in fourth- and fifth-grades, significantly smaller, on average, than allowed class sizes of 26 for kindergarten, 28 for grades 1-3 and 35 for grades 4-5.

Dr. Hightower said this trend is very impressive given that the state still has not restored $4 million in austerity budget reductions, with limited new funding earmarked by Gov. Nathan Deal specifically for teacher salary increases. Despite these constraints, CCSD's budget not only meets the cost-of-living salary increase in the state’s base compensation for teachers, but also extends it to all eligible employees, increases the local supplement for a true 2-percent raise and funds longevity step increases.

“This is very important,” Assistant Superintendent for Financial Management Ken Owen said of the significant investment in employee compensation, noting that salary is just one piece of the pie paid by CCSD, as health insurance, retirement system and other related costs funded by the district continue to soar.

But, he added, it’s an expense that school districts cannot shortchange.

“A teacher hiring shortage is looming ahead," he warned.

Due to the district's historical record of strong compensation packages for employees, even during the recent recession, it has not faced challenges in hiring like some other metro school systems.

Board members also on Thursday received an excerpt from the forthcoming Financial Facts report, which is produced by district staff to provide employees and the community with budget highlights (available online here), and further details these personnel costs.

Dr. Hightower also revealed other hints about his proposed budget now being finalized including additional investments in safety and security and learning resources.

The budget calls for funding to retrofit six more schools with security foyers that further regulate access by visitors. Transportation will see two major improvements: the previously announced plan to transition to smaller special education preschool buses that are lower to the ground and easier to drive, and the introduction of a new GPS system for all CCSD buses that will allow parents to track their child’s bus using an online tool.

A major investment of $3 million will upgrade CCSD’s English and Language Arts elementary school instructional resources for the first time in a decade, mirroring the update of math resources completed this school year.

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