The Robertson County School Board on Aug. 11 approved a budget amendment to accept $1,909,703 in state teacher bonus funds and authorize distribution of the monies to eligible employees.

The budget amendment was approved unanimously, 6-0. Directors said the state provided the dollars to cover the bonus payments and related employer costs such as Social Security, retirement and Medicare.

The board’s finance review also showed preliminary fiscal-year-end numbers: budgeted revenues of about $142.9 million (100% of budget) and expenditures at about 94.87% (roughly $138 million), leaving an estimated surplus of about $4.1 million. The presentation itemized revenue sources and notable expenditures, including property tax revenues of about $19.2 million and sales taxes around $20.7 million. Expenditures called out included roughly $2.4 million for electricity, $463,000 for diesel fuel, $129,000 for gasoline, approximately $65.7 million for salaries and about $19.5 million for insurance benefits.

Director of Schools said the state set eligibility parameters for the teacher bonus: only teachers who “spent more than half of their day in direct contact with students” qualify. The board discussed staff categories that do not qualify under the state rules, including many instructional coaches, some administrators, guidance staff and library personnel. The director said about 150 certified staff are expected not to receive the bonus and that none of the district’s roughly 650 classified staff will receive the bonus, based on the state’s criteria.

Board members voted 6-0 to adopt the amendment. No additional local funding was required for the bonuses, the director said, because the state dollars also covered employer-side costs.

The board chair and staff said the FY-end numbers are preliminary and have been presented to auditors; final audited figures could change. The board and director noted ongoing monitoring of lower sales-tax receipts compared with the previous year and that county finance officials are aware of the trend.

The board did not take additional budget actions at the meeting; the amendment only accepts and appropriates the state-provided bonus funds and authorizes distribution in the September paycheck cycle.