Public Hearing of the 2024-2025 General Fund Budget
Mrs. Leanne Lordo presented the proposal for the 2024-2025 General Fund Budget.
The state budget process is still on-going and the district anticipates the state budget will be finalized by the end of June. The budget process, began in January and once again, state funding was not favorable for our district under the New Education Funding Model due to the proportionate share distribution concept, the increase in poverty weighting, and the inclusion of state charter schools. The District General Fund Budget being presented is based on our allocations under the Senate version of the state budget. These were updated from the House version for 135-day student counts. The overall state pot of money for education did not change significantly between the House and Senate. The current total recommended budget is $234,226,316.
Budget Goals:
- Balanced Budget
- Focus on Recruitment and Retention of all Staff
- Maintain Reasonable Class Sizes
- Provide Staff to Stay in Compliance with Regulations
- Keep and Shift Existing Positions paid from ESSER III Funds to General Fund
Special Recognitions
- Recognition of Fort Mill High School Soccer Team State 5A Champions
Monthly Financial/Impact Fee Update
Mrs. Leanne Lordo presented the monthly financial and impact fee report:
Monthly Financial Report
- April 30th – Tenth Month in Fiscal Year
- Total Revenue $195,546,612
Total Expenditures $169,158,555
Increase $26,388,057 – Positive Cash flow
- Collected 98.3% of Local Taxes Budgeted to Date
- Collected various State tax reimbursements:
- Remaining 10% of Local Property Tax Relief $208,152
- Homestead Exemption $551,282
- Merchant’s Inventory $28,164
- Manufacturer’s Depreciation $330,050
- Vehicle tax collections $1,512,116
- Projecting tax revenue out to June – estimating $2.4 million over budget
Impact Fees
- Total collected to date $67,237,116
- Single Family units 2,592/ Multi Family 1,679/ Total 4,271 Units
- May had 86 homes and 0 multi-family units added
- May had large day of $1,180,270 collected on 65 homes.
- Comparable data for 12 months rolling for Single Family
- May 2023 to May 2024 $7,154,252 or 394 SF Units (49.8% more)
- May 2022 to May 2023 $4,775,554 or 263 Units
- Comparable data for 12 months rolling for Multi Family
- May 2023 to May 2024 $1,153,920 or 96 MF Units (60.1% less)
- May 2022 to May 2023 $2,896,820 or 241 Units
- Calendar Year 2023 Average collections $597,188.
May 2024 Actual collections $1,561,588.
Student Nutrition Update
- During the 2023-24 school year, we served 555,419 breakfast meals and 1,502,037 lunch meals. District-wide averaged 20.23% breakfast participation and 49.2% lunch participation. Free & Reduced 22.6%
- We plan to continue our current pricing for meals next school year:
- Breakfast $1.35
- Lunch Elementary $2.25
- Lunch Middle/High $2.50 or $3.00 based on meal choice
We will begin encouraging our parents to fill out the free and reduced meal application prior to the start of school in August.
Early Childhood Center Architectural Update with Little Diversified
Mr. Joe Romenick along with representatives from Little Diversified Architectural Consulting presented information about the firms approach to designing an early childhood learning center. The presentation included examples of other similar facilities the firm has designed and the process used to design a facility of this type.
Walkability Study
Mr. Grey Young presented the findings from the recent Walkability Study conducted by the Bike-Ped Coalition of York County in the area surrounding Fort Mill High School. The purpose of the study was to Determine opportunities and barriers for safer pedestrian, bicycling & rolling access to Fort Mill High School. The district is committed to working with local and state organizations and governing entities to provide safe pedestrian travel to and from our school wherever possible.
Approval of FY 2024–2025 General Fund Budget
Mrs. Lordo presented for approval the 2024-2025 General Fund Budget as outlined earlier in the meeting. The board voted to approve the $234,226,316 proposed budget.
Highlights of the budget include:
- The proposed budget requires a tax millage increase of 21.9 mills.
- All teachers will receive a salary increase based on the new teacher salary scale
- The district’s starting teacher pay will increase to $50,000
- All other staff will receive a 5% cost of living salary increase, consistent with state employees
- All eligible employees will also receive a step increase for year of experience
- New teachers for growth
- Additional special education instructional assistants and instructional coaches
- Additional school bus aides
- Increase in high school athletic funds
Approval of FY 2023–2024 Year End Transfer
The board voted to approve the year end transfer of $2,172,620 as presented. These funds will be used for several district projects and programs including:
- District-wide ebook/hardbound media center collection to maintain compliance standards ($8 per student)
- School small capital purchases
- School furniture requests – various schools
- Technology – district data center UPS backup replacement
- Security – additional school radios (#25)
- New classroom set ups – instructional materials
- Middle school athletics 2024-25 equipment replacement
- Additional band instruments – Catawba Ridge High
- Contingency fund
Curriculum Items:
- Teacher professional development
- STEAM funding
- ST-ART increase (Middle School GT Art)
Board Policy IKA Grading/Assessment Systems
The board voted to approve the changes to policy IKA as presented. These changes include updating the administrative rule to the current grading scale in use in the district and an update to the policy text to reflect that the schools will follow the statewide uniform grading scale as approved by the State Board of Education for grades three through 12.
Names and Mascots for Elementary #12 and Middle #7 and Naming of the Early Childhood Center
The board voted to approve the recommendations for Elementary# 12 and Middle School #7. The Early Childhood Center will be considered at a later date.
Elementary #12 Recommendation
Name: Flint Hill Elementary School
Colors: Warm Red, Silver, Bright White
Mascot: Cubs
Middle School #7
Name: Flint Hill Middle School
Colors: True Red, Black and Bright White
Mascot: Red Foxes
Approval of Instructional Materials
The board voted to approve the new instructional materials as presented. These selections are from a list of instructional material provided by the State Department of Education following a public input process. The approved materials are:
- Savvas Experience Chemistry for Chemistry 1
- Savvas Experience Physics for Physics 1
- Savvas Introductory Chemistry for Chemistry 2
- Cengage Chemistry, AP Edition for AP Chemistry
- Savvas College Physics: Explore and Explain for AP Physics 1
Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Chuck Epps provided an overview of upcoming events for June and July, 2024. The district has now transitioned to Monday–Thursday summer hours for all schools and facilities. All district facilities and schools will be closed on July 4-5. The Administrative In Service meeting will be held on July 30. For a complete listing of events please click the calendar link below.
Dr. Epps announced the March teacher attendance winners with Nation Ford High, Fort Mill Middle and Springfield Elementary winning for their respective grade levels.
Fort Mill School Board meetings can be viewed live or on demand on the district’s YouTube channel or with the link below.
