At a budget workshop on Tuesday evening, the Campbell County Board of Education received some mixed news from the Finance Office concerning the upcoming 2018-19 budget.  On the positive side, although Campbell County, like most other systems across the state, lost students in the latest update of average daily attendance, the effects on state funding will not be as severe as first feared.

Campbell County lost 102 students from the previous year, down from 5,436 to 5,334. That equates to a loss of four teaching positions in the number that will be covered by state BEP funding, but Director Jennifer Fields told the board that those losses are covered by not replacing some personnel who have retired and no layoffs will be necessary.

The other bit of good news is an additional $500,000 from the State of Tennessee for classroom funding, which saves the county $28,000 in local matching money for such costs as substitute teachers, duty-free lunches, classroom supplies, textbooks and other instructional equipment.

The bad news is that the extra $500,000 comes to Campbell County because 3,047 of the county’s 5,334 students are classified “at risk,” either living in foster homes, homeless, living below the poverty level or some other at risk factor.

Although there may be some additional adjustments before the budget is finalized, the estimate for the 2018-19 education budget is currently $40,591,691 with $10,017.591 of that amount coming from local taxpayer funds and the balance from state sources.

The budget also includes $325,517 for an average $925 annual raise for the county’s 352 teachers. That raise was proposed and approved statewide by the Tennessee Board of Education on May 23.

The board also discussed a few other adjustments, including whether the daily salary for substitute teachers should be increased from the current $55 daily wage. Some board members pointed out that the pay for substitutes has not been increased in many years. Faye Heatherly pointed out that substitute pay has not been increased since before she was first elected to the board.

The committee meeting adjourned at 7:30, with those present departing in good spirits, not yet aware of news about the untimely death of board member and former chairman Mike Orick.

A footnote:  The Campbell County Budget and Finance Committee meets this afternoon at 5:30 pm at the Court House at Jacksboro.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 06/07/2018-6AM)