The Clarke County Board of Education approved a budget of $164,616,180 for the 2020-21 fiscal year at its called board meeting on June 25, 2020.
Due to the economic challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia governor Brian Kemp mandated spending reductions, forcing some school districts to consider furlough days and salary reductions.
“The BOE has kept us financially sound by maintaining above average reserves, so we did not need to furlough employees, reduce calendar days, or increase class sizes,” said Chris Griner, chief financial officer. “We will be able to continue to provide competitive salaries even during this period of economic uncertainty.”
The Board of Education requested a compensation study for all positions, to provide a new salary structure and better align the district with its competitive market. As a result, in addition to the state-required step increases for eligible employees, the FY 20-21 budget includes increasing custodial salaries by $800,000, and Pre-K Teachers and Pre-K Paraprofessional salaries by over $430,000.
“Our board made these salary increases a high priority for the 2020-21 year, and we are pleased they are included in our budget,” states Lynn Duke, Chief of Human Resources. “We are better aligned with our competitive market, enabling us to better recruit and retain employees.”
Click here to view budget-related documents on the district website.