Greenville County Schools 301 E. Camperdown Way Greenville, South Carolina 29601 Phone: 864-355-3100 infoline@greenville.k12.sc.us Hours: M-F 8am-5pm (Summer M-Th 7:30-5:30)
The FY 16 General Fund (GF) Budget, unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees, funds an additional $12.1 million in State mandates (40.5% of Budget increase) and $18.2 million in Local required expenses for student growth, salary increases, and other needs.
About 87% of the GF Budget pays for people: teachers, principals and other employees.
Beginning with FY10, inflation has increased 10%, state mandates by 13%, and student growth by 7% while State and Local revenues have increased by 16%.
The State Base Student Cost (BSC) increased $100 to $2,220, $581 less than full funding of $2,801. GCS, which serves a wealthy area based on property tax values, receives funding at a lower BSC of $1,624.
As provided by State law (Act 388), GCS qualifies for a local tax increase of up to 10.3 mills, including 5.8 mills not used in previous years. Local tax millage for GF Budget will increase by 4.5 mills (3.3 percent) for expenses related to inflation and population growth. Owner-occupied homes are NOT taxed for the GF Budget. Examples of the 4.5-mill tax increase are: Car with Tax Value of $1,583 (2004 Ford Taurus, year and make of one of nation’s most popular vehicles) – 40 cents a year or .001 cents a day; Business with Tax Value of $316,040 - $85.33 a year or 24 cents a day.
Budgeted Expenditures for FY 15
$506,869,000
State Mandated Expenditures for FY 16
Teachers for English Language Learners (Offset Loss of State Lottery Funding) - $2,015,000
Special Education Teachers (9.0 FTEs; Offset Reduction of Federal IDEA Funding) - $600,000
Teacher Salary Steps and Certificate Upgrades - $ 5,120,000
State Health Insurance Increase (3.9% eff. Jan. 1, 2015, 4.5% eff. Jan. 1, 2016) - $1,718,000
State Retirement Employer Rate Increase - $1,235,000
Payments to Charter Schools - $1,392,000
$12,080,000
Local Required Expenditures for FY 16
Student Growth Impact (Additional Teachers, Other Employees, Etc.) - $2,000,000
Teachers for English Language Learners to 115:1 ratio (11.5 FTEs) - $742,000
Restore .5 Pupil-Teacher Ratio as Baseline Funding Allocation to All Schools for Academic Improvements (Site-Based Decisions) - $3,870,000
Discovery Education - $159,000
Roper Mountain Science Center – Instructional Supplies - $5,000
Restoration of Teacher Salary Step in FY11 that was Frozen to Avoid Layoffs - $3,990,000
Increase Local Portion of Teacher Salary Steps (Ensure Minimum 3% Salary Increase) - $1,191,000
Salary Increase for Support Personnel (Minimum 3%) - $3,780,000
School Nurse Salary Step and Grade Adjustment (Help Retain and Recruit) - $265,000
Bus Driver Salary Schedule Modification (Help Retain and Recruit) - $596,000
Assistant Band Directors Supplement - $135,000
Athletic Supplements (Additional Coaches and Extended Season Pay) - $352,000