New positions, tax increase included in Rock Hill schools’ $175M 2020-21 budget
The Rock Hill school district has proposed a $175 million budget for 2020-21.
The school board will hear the budget for approval on June 22. Terri Smith, chief finance officer, led a public hearing on the budget Monday.
The budget includes a tax increase, which will provide the district with $1.67 million in additional revenue. The increase would amount to $36 more in taxes each year on a $100,000 business, according to the district.
Tax increases only apply to businesses, non-owner occupied homes and rental properties. Act 388 shifted the property tax burden from owner-occupied homes onto businesses and secondary homes for school operations.
The district anticipates $171.1 million in revenue for next school year.
The budget uses 2019-20’s base student cost of $2,489. The base student cost has not been set by the state for 2020-21.
If base student cost was fully funded by the state, it would be $3,164 for 2020-21, according to the district. The represents a loss of about $11.8 million in revenue.
Smith said the state has fully funded the base student cost nine times since it was enacted in 1977.
She said due to costs across the state associated with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, schools could see a decrease in state revenue for 2020-21.
“There are lots of unknowns,” Smith said during the public hearing.
The district also anticipates a decrease in property tax revenue for the upcoming school year. Property taxes account for 35% of the district’s revenue.
The district is using $3.8 million from its fund balance, similar to a savings account, to balance the budget. The 2020-21 budget of $174,961,815 is 1.37% higher than in 2019-20.
The budget is funded with about $61.5 million in local revenue and about $109 million from the state, according to the district.
Budget highlights include:
- Suspending step increases for teachers until the S.C. Appropriations Act for 2020-21 is passed. The General Assembly will meet about the bill in September, according to the school district.
- The minimum salary for teachers set by the state will remain the same as 2019-20. Rock Hill schools last year set starting teacher pay at $40,000.
- $154 million is included for salaries and benefits, which represents 88% of the budget.
- The budget factors hiring four immersion teachers for expanding the language immersion program at Cherry Park Elementary and Sullivan Middle schools to include eighth grade, Smith said.
- Other new positions include: four classroom teachers, four special education teachers, 12 special education teacher assistants, three bus drivers, three bus aides for special needs buses, two mental health counselors and one behavior management assistant.
- The district will move custodial and ground maintenance programs fully in-house.
- $11 million is included for services provided by personnel who do not work for the district. Part of those funds will be used to hire four school resource officers, whose salaries are partially funded by the state.
- Other costs associated with utilities, supplies and equipment
This story was originally published June 19, 2020 at 12:00 AM.
