Stokes County education leaders anticipate state funding cuts for the 2020-2021 district budget. | Stock Photo
Stokes County education leaders anticipate state funding cuts for the 2020-2021 district budget. | Stock Photo
The Stokes County School District superintendent said that the public education system should expect the state to cut its funding because of COVID-19's financial impact.
Superintendent Brad Rice's comments came during an April board of education meeting where members met virtually to discuss the upcoming budget.
“With what I’m hearing from the Commissioners, and with COVID-19, everything’s going to be cut,” Rogers said, according to a report in The Stokes News. “It’s going to be a very bleak year for the county budget.”
The initial budget Rice presented showed an increase of $1.2 million, increasing operational costs to approximately $14.35 million, The Stokes News reported. Budget figures were to be finalized by May 4 and delivered to Stokes County commissioners no later than May 15.
“This list is our recommendation,” Rice said, The Stokes News reported. “When [the commissioners] give us a number, then we will have to re-prioritize. But I would say the first nine items on the list we have to do to have school [next fall].”
Maintenance Director Ricky Goins said the Lawsonville and Nancy Reynolds roofs should be the top priority, The Stokes News reported.
The biggest line-item increases in the 2020-2021 budget are salaries, insurance, contracted services, utilities and operations, The Stokes News reported. The administrators want a Fire Academy instruction, a data manager, a trained locksmith for a maintenance position and instructional coaches for middle and elementary schools.
Full-time counselors continue to be a request by board member Katie Tedder in all schools, especially with the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have no idea what will be coming back from when we get back to school. I know we have guidance counselors working with some kids who have isolation issues. The level of trauma these students may have endured is a major concern,” Tedder said, according to Stokes News.
She said the county commissioners should make connectivity the priority.
“Education has changed and may very well never be the same. This isolation may come again, and we need to be prepared for the sake of our students,” Tedder said, Stokes News reported. “The ‘rainy day’ is here. It’s time to tap into the fund balance for our future.”
The system handed out 1,000 Chromebooks to middle schools for students to take classes online.
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