AIKEN --- The Aiken County School Board will approach the ever-changing budget conservatively for next year.
The district, which must advertise the tentative 2009-10 budget in less than a dozen days, still doesn't have a clear answer on per-student funding from the state. Nor does it know whether federal stimulus money will ever make it past Gov. Mark Sanford.
On Tuesday the school board unanimously approved a tentative budget of $145,705,454, based on state Senate budget recommendations of $2,024 per student.
The budget also includes a millage increase of 6.5 mills, which is about $39.50 per $100,000 of property value on nonprimary residences. That would add about $1.2 million to the budget. That money would replace the money used to thwart budget cuts earlier this year.
The stimulus money is a big question.
"It seems like it's destined for court right now," said Tray Traxler, school district comptroller. "It's a lot easier to add back than take away if we have to."
If the stimulus money makes its way to schools, base student costs could increase up to $2,324 -- giving the district an excess of $8.1 million based on their shoestring budget for next year.
Mr. Traxler presented the board with five options ranging from no millage increase and the lowest student cost proposed to the best-case scenario of receiving stimulus money and raising millage. Doing nothing would leave the district short $748,156.
"We do not have the fund balance (savings) to gamble at this point," Mr. Traxler told the board.
The recommended option also keeps teacher furloughs on the table.
The option included three noninstructional days for teachers and six noninstructional days for administrators, but the furlough days could be increased up to five noninstructional days for teachers and 10 noninstructional days for administrators, Mr. Traxler said.
The board will hold a public hearing June 9 for comments and discussion on the budget. The final budget hearing is June 23.
Even what's approved June 23 can change though, Mr. Traxler said.
"The numbers seem to change every day, and we can always go back and add what was cut," he said.
Reach Julia Sellers at (706) 823-3424 or julia.sellers@augustachronicle.com.
BY THE NUMBERS
The Aiken County School Board approved a tentative 2009-10 budget of $145,705,454 based on recommendations from the state. However, if the state accepts federal stimulus money, the budget could change again.
| Tentative budget | Budget with stimulus aid | |
| Projected revenues | $145,705,454 | $152,594,987 |
| Spending per pupil | $2,024 | $2,324 |
| Teacher furloughs | 3 days* | None |
| Administrator furloughs | 6 days* | None |
* Furloughs would occur on noninstructional days.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING
If the state does approve using the stimulus funding, the schools budget would have an additional $8,112,363. Administration recommendations for the remaining funds include:
- Restoring a portion of contingency used to absorb 2008-09 cuts: $3,079,698
- Reduce pupil-teacher ratio by one, for all but first grade: $1,844,150
- Restoring supplies budgets: $118,515
- Restoring technology budget: $100,000
- Restoring maintenance budget: $100,000
- Restoring a portion of nursing services: $105,000
- Restoring a portion of alternative program reduction: $65,000
Source: Aiken County School District
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