Oak Ridge Today

At this time, proposed ‘bare-bones’ schools budget does not ask city for more money

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Schools presented its proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 to the Oak Ridge Board of Education on Tuesday, May 9, 2017.

Oak Ridge Schools presented its proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 to the Oak Ridge Board of Education on Tuesday, May 9, 2017.

 

A “bare-bones” budget proposed by Oak Ridge Schools on Tuesday does not, at this point, ask the City of Oak Ridge for more local funding.

The proposed budget includes step increases that would apply to those who are eligible, but it does not include pay raises. Roughly 59 percent of the staff would receive no increase, school officials said.

There are some new staff positions proposed, including a preschool teacher, a Navy Junior ROTC teacher, and a technology systems administrator. There are also some staff reductions due to enrollment, primarily two full-time equivalent teachers at Oak Ridge High School, reductions done through attrition.

“This is a pretty bare-bones budget,” Oak Ridge Schools Superintendent Bruce Borchers said Tuesday. It includes minimal new staff, and no major new initiatives. At this point, there is not enough money for raises, Borchers said.

The grand total of new investments has been proposed at $713,075: $355,201 for step increases and $357,784 for new staffing. [Read more…]

School budget would ask city for $650K, use $1.75M from fund balance

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Board of Education May 26, 2015

The Oak Ridge Board of Education on Tuesday unanimously approved a budget that would use $1.75 million from the school system’s fund balance and ask the city for about $650,000. The request for more money still has to be considered by the Oak Ridge City Council.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 11:12 a.m. May 27.

The Oak Ridge Board of Education on Tuesday approved a budget that would use $1.75 million from the school system’s fund balance and ask the city for about $650,000.

Those two actions would help Oak Ridge Schools cover a deficit of roughly $638,000 and meet a total of $1.75 million in other desired expenses, or “additional investment,” including:

  • about $1.1 million for 3 percent pay raises with benefits,
  • $484,000 for step increases based on experience, and
  • approximately $211,000 for staff, including a communications director, four technology-related positions, and a teacher’s assistant for an elementary behavioral class. The four technology-related jobs include an instructional technology coach, an applications administrator, and two technology technicians.

[Read more…]

See Oak Ridge Schools proposed budget here

Posted at
By Leave a Comment

Oak Ridge Schools has posted its proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 on its website.

The May 13 budget proposal had a starting deficit of $807,890. That deficit was due to revenues not keeping up with expenditures, officials said.

There was an additional investment of $1.9 million requested. The biggest part of that, about $1 million, was for a proposed 3 percent cost of living adjustment with benefits. An extra $484,000 was requested for experience step increases with benefits.

There were also additional staff requests that were part of the $1.9 million “additional investment.” The staff requests would total about $363,000, including for a communications director and four technology-related positions. [Read more…]