More Teachers, Increased School Security Proposed in CCSD Budget

CANTON, GA -- In preparation for next month's vote, the Cherokee County School Board at its May 18 meting reviewed the proposed 2017-18 budget.

The $590 million budget, the district states, not only increases its investment in the classroom, but also bolsters the system's reserves.

Thursday's meeting allowed the board to dive deeper into the budget's details, which features $382 million set aside for day-to-day operations. It should be noted that 86 percent of that will fund salaries and benefits for the district's 4,500 full-time and 1,000 part-time and at-will employees.

Board members will hold public hearings on the budget at 11:30 a.m. June 6 and 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. June 15, with the budget up for a vote at the 7 p.m. regular meeting on June 15; the hearings and the budget all will be held in the CCSD Downtown Center school board auditorium.

• Get details on the proposed budget by clicking here.
  

The budget, which does not call for a millage increase, directs 71 percent of day-to-day operating funds to classroom instruction, with new hiring in preparation for anticipated student enrollment growth, continued lowering of average class sizes and new instructional resources for elementary English and language arts classes.

“That’s spectacular,” Assistant Superintendent of Financial Management Ken Owen said of the percentage directed to classrooms, noting it’s a “very tight budget,” but entirely focused on the priorities outlined by the board.

State funding did increase, Owen said, but those monies only covered the state portion of a 2-percent salary increase recommended by Gov. Nathan Deal, hikes in required retirement system fees and costs associated with rises in student enrollment. Georgia's continued austerity budget reduction withholding of $4 million owed to the district based on the education funding formula is a pinch that still hurts.

“It’s a significant reduction,” Owen said of the $4 million. “We could really use that money to fund more teachers.”

The total budget calls for investing $18.5 million through the building fund in construction, renovation and technology projects, including the renovation of the Boston Elementary School entrance to ease traffic congestion and the replacement of older computers and devices used by teachers and students. Six more schools will be retrofit with security foyers to tighten visitor security, 19 school buses will be added to the fleet for growth and retirement of older vehicles and a new online GPS system will allow parents to track the location of their child’s school bus.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower said the budget also works toward his goal of earning a triple-A credit rating for the district by increasing reserves – the operating budget’s savings account, and paying off bond debt incurred by the rapid construction plan required by the county’s incredible growth over the last two decades.

“We really want that perfect credit rating,” Dr. Hightower said, noting it will greatly reduce costs for insurance and borrowing and enhance overall financial stability. “Setting aside more reserve funds and staying focused on retiring debt may keep us from moving forward on every innovation we’d like to see in our schools, but it’s just as important an investment.”

To that end, the budget calls for shifting half a mill in the tax rate from operating to debt service, as well as increasing the proposed operating reserves to $49 million, with an additional $29 million in the building fund reserves.

The board during its meeting Thursday also approved monthly personnel recommendations including the appointment of Nate Cline, currently a teacher on special assignment to assist with administration at Etowah High School, to serve as an assistant principal at Creekland Middle School next school year.

In a surprise announcement, Dr. Hightower presented the third of his four inaugural Superintendent’s Game Changer Awards, with the recognition for Instructional Advocacy presented to Lisa-Marie Haygood, a longtime outstanding advocate for district schools as a PTA volunteer and leader at the local, regional and state level including past service as Georgia PTA president.

Photo: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower presents Lisa-Marie Haygood with his Superintendent’s Game Changer Award for Instructional Advocacy, one of four inaugural awards he’s presenting this month, as School Board members look on. Credit: Cherokee County School District