Budget Would Reduce Class Sizes, Add 68 New Teachers

WOODSTOCK, GA -- The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday spent its work session reviewing the proposed 2016-17 annual budget, which calls for reductions in class size and improvements in services for students without the need for a millage rate increase.

The tentative budget, which was reviewed during the board's May 19 meeting, includes a $359 million day-to-day operating budget, was approved to be tabled for a month of public review prior to an adoption vote on June 16.

The executive summary of the budget and annual financial facts report, an overview of the district's financial issues, both are posted on the system's website.

Public hearings will be held at 11:30 a.m. June 7 and 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. June 16 at the Historic Canton High School/School Board Auditorium.

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School Board Chair Kyla Cromer praised Superintendent Dr. Brian Hightower and his staff for incorporating all of the board’s major budget priorities: maintaining 180 instructional days; continuing to reduce class size; improving classroom technology access; increasing budget reserves (to $48.8 million, a positive for financial stability and credit ratings); offering competitive compensation and benefits; providing more resources for support services; and considering more innovative models like the Cherokee Academies.

During the budget presentation, Hightower outlined proposed operational enhancements, such as the hiring of 68 additional teachers to address student growth and further reduce class size, as well as the adoption of new math instructional resources for all grade levels and the appointment of three teachers on special assignment to serve as district “content coaches” to assist schools with using the new grades K-12 resources and online tools.

“We’re not just going to throw resources at the schools,” he said, as to why content coaches are important to the adoption’s success, noting that, in addition to the new content coaches, he also is recommending the appointment of four teachers on special assignment to pilot an assistance program in selected schools to provide teachers with better academic intervention and remediation efforts for at-risk students.

Additional budget highlights include:

• Increase the starting pay for beginning teachers to $42,250;
• Provide annual longevity step raise for all eligible employees;
• Provide a 1 percent cost-of-living raise to all eligible employees;
• Utilize one additional school social worker to reduce the caseloads of the existing two social workers;
• Add a school nurse to serve students attending ACE Academy;
• Add three additional technology specialists to provide hardware and software technical assistance to teachers and support personnel;
• Add 14 new bus drivers and two new bus attendants to address continued increases in student ridership, improve efficiency and reduce ride time for students;
• Continue to allocate one-half teacher allotment at each high school dedicated to credit recovery/helping students stay on track for graduation;
• Expand the school entry door security system that was successfully piloted this year to include card “swipe-in” access for employees at critical playground and mobile classroom area entry ways;
• Construct school front hallway security foyers at eight pilot elementary schools;
• Prepare the original Dean Rusk Middle School for occupation by Sequoyah High School (January 2017); and,
• Repair/realign the bus drive at Macedonia Elementary School.

Kenneth Owen, assistant superintendent for financial management, said while state austerity budget cuts were reduced to $3.9 million and the local property tax digest is improving, revenue continues to lag behind pre-recession levels.

“We’re so glad to see property values again rising, but they’re still $4.2 million less than what we got in 2007, and here we are 5,400 kids later,” Owen said.

As a result, Cherokee County will need to continue to address class size reduction, additional new instructional materials adoptions and other budget priorities in future budget cycles.

Board members also approved the refinancing of some of the district’s bond debt from school construction projects, which will save $3.3 million in interest over the next seven years. which, at more than 6 percent interest savings, is twice the standard goal level of savings.

“This makes those dollars go that much further… we’re really, really happy with the results,” Bryce Holcomb of Citi Group, the district’s bond underwriter, said of the refinancing pricing, which was conducted Thursday morning.

After meeting in executive session, the board also voted 5-2 to modify a student discipline decision to allow the student transportation to school. Board members members John Harmon and Rick Steiner voted in opposition on the action.

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