This story has been updated with information from the April 26 budget workshop.
It's budget season.
The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) Board of Education is in the midst of compiling the FY2024 budget, which will direct funds and initiatives for the next school year. While responsibility for the budget lies solely with the BOE, the nine-member board is soliciting public feedback by way of survey and public hearing.
The survey is an online form that will remain open until April 30. The results will be published on May 5, according to district spokesperson Stacey Jennings. Find the survey here: https://savannahchatham.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ahZI6XqZkBoqToa
A public meeting was held at 6 p.m., Wednesday, April 26, at the Whitney Administrative Complex, 2 Laura St. in Savannah. The public was invited to comment on the proposed budget and what they hope to see funded, or not.
The Board of Education's Budget Committee will meet on May 10. The budget will then go before the entire BOE.
What are SCCPSS' budget priorities?
The FY2024 budget six priorities, according to BOE documents: enrollment and staffing stability, student learning loss, the state budget impact, employee pay and benefits, financial stability and ESPLOST IV funds.
ESPLOST (Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) was a tax referendum that allows the school district to raise funds specifically for the purpose of school facility construction and improvements.
But, as Board Member Shawn Kachmar (District 4) put it, the meeting was difficult because, while it was a discussion of funding priorities, the revenue digest is not yet ready. "And discretionary spending is remarkably small, considering our budget," Kachmar said.
The largest revenue fund for the district's general fund are local property taxes and the largest expenditure is employee compensation, according to a budget presentation from the district. The general fund for 2024 is estimated at $504 million. About 80% of that fund is reserved for employee compensation.
The SCCPSS budget has three sources of funding, local taxes and grants, state revenue and federal revenue and grants.
Last year's $700 million budget included a reduction of the millage rate, a raise of the minimum pay to $15 an hour and the hiring of 15 counselors.
While the General Fund is the largest "bucket" of money the school district has, there are 20 buckets — including debt service, special education grants, pre-K funding, employee dental and unemployment — are restricted by law on how those funds can be deployed.
While the district is restricted on how it can spend money, there is some freedom by the board to determine where and how to fund different priorities.
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At Wednesday's meeting, just one Chatham County resident spoke about what she hopes to see funded this next fiscal year. Beth Majeroni, an outspoken educational advocate, said she hopes to see literacy programs funded this year so SCCPSS can "raise its abysmal reading rates." Majeroni referenced a program called LETRS that has proven success at raising reading rates in public school systems.
"I highly recommend the budget to have the inclusion of LETRS training for your teachers, regardless of the price tag," Majeroni said. "I look forward to the opportunity that Savannah-Chatham County Schools has to be added to the list of case studies where literacy proficiency can be our strength and not our weakness."
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Last year, less than a third of Chatham County third graders were reading on level, a stark illustration of the district's failures and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning retention. The district has formulated a plan to raise literacy rates, but needs funding to help the programmatic, training and new hires of literacy coaches.
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Several school board members emphasized their personal priorities of raising employee pay, including adjust the BOE Police Department's pay scales to the level of local law enforcement agencies.
"In this season, safety, safety, safety is vitally important," District 5 Board Member, Rev. Paul Smith, said. "I want to make sure they have what they need to do their jobs efficiently and without being burnt out, as well as our teachers."
District 1 Board Member Denise Grabowski emphasized the need to fund facility improvements and expansions, particularly as the growth of west Chatham means thousands of students will be moving into the county and needing schooling. "It's not sexy, but it's important," Grabowski said.
While facility improvements, literacy programs and increased pay were all priorities for the board's discretionary spending, District 8 Board Member Dr. Tonia Howard-Hall said it's important the board not lose sight of what they're required to fund. These mandated funds include audit and legal fees, transportation and nutrition.
Board President Roger Moss said that "tough decisions" on what the board funds will need to be made in the coming weeks, but one priority is more than a want, it's a need.
"We may have to make some tough decisions on what we cut, but I cannot emphasize enough that the reading taskforce and getting our kids on grade level, by third grade, is a mandate," Moss said. "And it's also a state mandate, because it's the law."
The budget must be approved by July.
Zoe Nicholson is the investigative reporter for Savannah Morning News. You can reach her at znicholson@gannett.com.
