Though education could avoid direct cuts in this year’s state budget, Marshall County School District Treasurer Jill Morris said it’s far from untouchable, despite common misconception.
Morris presented the district’s 2017-18 working budget Sept. 21 during a regularly-scheduled meeting of the Marshall County Board of Education. Morris outlined Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) calculations for the year, which make up the lion’s share of funding for the district’s general fund. Altogether, SEEK funding prior to adjustments was anticipated to account for more than $15 million after a 30-cent per $100 of assessed property value – about $7.5 million – collected and contributed by the school system in order to obtain the funding.
Gov. Matt Bevin last month ordered state agencies to cut about 17.4 percent from spending budgets across the board to save an estimated $350 million to shore up a project $200 million shortfall and replenish the state’s emergency rainy day fund. SEEK funds would not directly be cut, but Morris said districts will still feel the sting.
“So, the misconception that education will be spared in this 17.4 percent reduction – and I know you guys probably know the drill on that, but education will not be spared,” Morris told the board. “What will happen is the … there will be a reduction in state grants, transportation – which right now is prorated at 61.7 percent – may go down to 55 percent. There will be increased matching costs, costs will shift to districts.”
Morris said Flex Focus funds – state grant funding for programs such as gifted and talented, ESS and professional development – would also take a hit.
Guaranteed base SEEK pay per pupil comes to about $3,981 per student in the district would not change. Later adjustments to the SEEK formula for calculating funding in other areas, such as transportation and at risk were not out of the question, either. Morris said ultimately it’s a matter of being mindful and planning appropriately.
“It’s always been that way as long as I can remember, but education will not be spared,” Morris said. “With pension reform that 3 percent (district contribution) may go up to 5 percent. … (That) 17.4 will affect this year, it will affect us. We know it will, and we’re making plans and being very careful.”
The district budgeted for 2 percent raises for teachers, custodians, instructional assistants and food service employees in this year’s budget. Certified substitutes were budgeted for a 5 percent increase. County Employment Retirement System matching funds increased as well, from 18.68 percent to 19.18 percent. Teacher Retirement System matching funds were budgeted at 3 percent.
The district also planned for some major construction projects for the year, including renovations on Marshall County High School and Sharpe Elementary School. According to the budget report, the district allotted more than $11.56 million to high school work, which would include revamping the main entrance. According to the project application, renovations would include mechanical work, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, doors and hardware, safety and security, new fire and sprinkler systems, ADA compliance upgrades, roofing and exterior wall construction, among the list of necessary project components.
“We want to revamp the office, turn it around the other direction,” District Superintendent Trent Lovett said in a previous interview. “Because as it is now, when you enter, you walk down a hallway, and then you can go into the office if you want to or you can slide off without anybody in the office really ever knowing you’re there. So, we’re going to have a common entrance, where they come into the office. There will be hallways where they feed off from there, but they have to come in that one entrance. … The commons area, they’re going to redo that. Of course, there’s other needs like redoing the duct work, the lighting and all that kind of stuff. So, we’re going to try to do some of that with a performance contract, and if we can get that done, we may get hopefully $15 million of improvements at the high school but only have to bond about $10 million of it.”
Sharpe Elementary renovations were budgeted at more than $2.14 million. The project would include building an additional wing to alleviate crowding in the school and rework the parking lots and drop off points at the school. Lovett said previously the goal was to provide a temporary fix allow for about 10 years to pay off other debts before constructing a new school.
For a full breakdown of the district’s budget report, click here.