Fort Mill school board approves operating budget for 2017-’18

A new operating budget is in place for the Fort Mill School District for 2017-’18.

School board members voted unanimously at a regular meeting Tuesday night to approve a $116.8 million spending plan, an increase of more than 9 percent from the current year. The base student cost is raised by $85. More than 88 percent of the budget goes to salaries and benefits. Operations and maintenance of facilities take up more than 6 percent.

The local millage rate is increased 9.8 mills, while the debt millage drops one mill. Total local, debt and countywide millage is now 329.2 mills, meaning $1,316.80 in taxes due per every $100,000 in home value, or $1,975.20 per $100,000 of accessed business or rental property value.

New items in the budget include:

▪  Opening of Pleasant Knoll Middle School

▪ 40 new classroom teachers

▪ Six new special education teachers or assistants

▪ Three full-time school psychologists

▪ An assistant principal at Nation Ford High School.

This story was originally published June 7, 2017 at 6:04 PM with the headline "Fort Mill school board approves operating budget for 2017-’18."