School Board Approves Budget, Calls For Ed-SPLOST Renewal

WOODSTOCK, GA -- The Cherokee County School Board at its June 16 meeting unanimously approved its 2016-17 annual budget, which will reduce class sizes, improve student services and restore reserves.

The budget, which includes a $359 million operating budget, also includes the hiring of 68 new teachers to address growth and reduce class size, offers competitive pay and benefits to attract and retain the best workforce possible and invests in instructional resources and technology.

The budget, the school district said, will perform all of these goals while keeping the millage rate remains steady at 19.45 mills.

“This is a long process – six months in the making – and we appreciate all of your work,” School Board Chair Kyla Cromer told Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Hightower and his senior staff, who annually conduct a comprehensive, zero-sunset budget review.

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The school district operates on a balanced budget with no operating debt, and Dr. Hightower emphasized that while the state government has reduced its austerity budget cut, Cherokee County still is not receiving $3.9 million in state funds owed to its students.

Furthermore, while the local property tax digest is improving, revenue remains at 2007 levels, despite the increase of thousands of students since then.

“We are still coming out of the recession,” Dr. Hightower said, noting that ineffective programs and spending continually are cut, and any proposed new spending is closely reviewed prior to approval.

Board members also called for an election on Nov. 8 to continue the current 1-percent Education SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax), which funds school construction, renovation and repairs; technology; land acquisition; school buses; and retiring bond debt for another five years.

The plan calls for continued use of the board’s longtime system of bonding future Ed SPLOST revenue, which has been necessary to keep up with the community’s explosive population growth. Specific projects planned include classroom additions for Woodstock Middle School and Mill Creek Middle School and an additional gym/multi-use space for Woodstock High School -- all of which are needed to offset overcrowding.

“I also will continue to drive my staff to look for land because we’re going to continue to grow,” Dr. Hightower said.

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