By Nicole Thomas
The Starkville School District Board of Trustees approved a $55.7 million dollar budget for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 in July. SSD Superintendent Lewis Holloway will present the budget to the Starkville Mayor and Board of Aldermen at their regular meeting on September 2.
The budget will require at 66.61-mill tax levy to operate, which is slightly higher than the past two years. The new millage rate includes a 3 mill increase approved in July 2013 after a reverse bond referendum was met with no opposition for $7 million dollars in school improvement projects in preparation for consolidation in 2015.
The District just completed the first phase of projects as identified and ranked by more than 60 SSD stakeholders during a six month strategic planning process that began in January 2013.
Phase I:
- New roofs or roof repairs at Henderson Gym, SHS Band Hall, AMS Gym, Oversteet, Ward Stewart
- Air conditioning of Henderson Gym
- Replaced windows at Sudduth Elementary School
- New tile at Sudduth Elementary School
- Turf installation and new track surface at SHS football stadium
- Security fence at SHS
- Renovation of Henderson Ward Stewart Cafeteria
The second phase of school improvement projects will begin this fall.
Phase 2:
- Replace carpet with tile at Armstrong Middle School
- Replace gym windows at AMS and SHS
- Addition of parking spaces at Henderson on Pilcher Street entrance
- Millsaps roof
- Greensboro renovation
An additional .61 mill increase, which adds up to about $150,000, is necessary because of an $800,000 loss from the Mississippi Adequate Education Program. Even though SSD’s enrollment continues to increase, the new formula used to calculate average daily attendance, which determines a district’s funding, requires students to be present for 63 percent of the school day. The District had anticipated that an increase in Starkville’s assessed property value would offset the cut, but $10 million in new property resulted in about $200,000 in new tax revenue.
Instruction and support services combined make up 68 percent of SSD’s budget. This includes an additional 24 teachers funded from local tax collections which costs approximately $1.4 million, reflecting the District’s commitment to arts education and reduced class size. SSD offers numerous art and music programs from kindergarten through 12th grade while class sizes in the elementary grades range between 20-22 students, which is significantly lower than the state maximum of 27 students per class.
New expenses for the 2014-15 school year totaling $393,000 will pay for two new teacher positions at Sudduth Elementary School and Starkville High School, two guidance counselor positions at Sudduth and Ward-Stewart Elementary School; a special education teacher and a special education assistant; new computers and wiring at Overstreet School; computers and other technology for Project Lead The Way initiative; and classroom furniture.
While school taxes increase for the coming year, SSD projects the rate will drop to 64 mills in FY 2015-2016. An additional two mill reduction is expected across the next four fiscal years.