Forsyth County School Superintendent Jeff Bearden presented a proposed $345.4 million FY 2016 budget to school board members late last week.
The budget contains a number of increased expenses, including 124 new positions (109 of them in the schools) at a cost of some $9.1 million, a step increase and 2 percent raise for all staff, higher pay for substitute teachers and higher benefit costs. The district says enrollment growth is the driving force behind the new positions.
Under the proposed budget, revenues would be some $10.5 million above expenditures, with revenues increasing more than $36 million from last year. The proposal includes a millage rate hike from 16.3 to 17.3 mills to cover the benefit, salary and staff increases. The budget is set to be approved in June, with millage rate approval following that.
District officials said the millage rate was last raised in 2011, and that the district has added 7,000 students since.
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