Gwinnett schools plan hearing on $2 billion budget

The Gwinnett County school board will hold the first of two public hearings Thursday on a 2010 budget to operate more schools for more students with less local money.

The board gave tentative approval to the $2 billion spending plan April 21.

It provides for nine new schools, one replacement school and an increase of about 2,100 students. While the budget is a 5.4 percent increase from 2009, school officials said position cuts and deferments of capital expenses will help keep local property tax rates steady.

And while the district faces an expected $17 million decline in local revenues, federal and state funding is scheduled to increase by about $8 million each.

Nevertheless, school district officials continue to bemoan what they see as reductions in the state allowance it receives for Quality Based Education. For the past eight years, the state has instituted “austerity cuts” to its formula for determining how local districts receive state funding. School officials estimate these cuts have cost the district more than $175 million since 2003.

The public hearing is at 7 p.m. at the Instructional Support Center, 437 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee.

Another hearing is scheduled at 7 p.m. May 14, before a vote to adopt the budget. A copy of the budget is available online at www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us.

2010 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:

Salaries and benefits: $1.2 billion (61.1 percent); no cost-of-living raise, but longevity compensation will account for $16.8 million.

Operating budget devoted to instruction: 74 percent, up from 73.8 percent in 2009.

Budgeted teacher positions: 10,536

Beginning teacher salary: $38,895 (bachelor’s degree)