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Horry County Schools superintendent proposes 2026 budget with teacher pay increases, no millage change
Summary
Superintendent Jones presented a 2026 budget proposal that keeps the current millage rate, raises the starting teacher salary to $52,015, adds special-education staff, uses $32.6 million of fund balance and anticipates a $36.3 million operational increase offset by $22.7 million overall reduction driven by capital and federal grant changes.
Superintendent Jones presented the Horry County Schools 2026 budget recommendation to the Board in May, proposing higher teacher pay, staffing increases and no change to the district's millage rate.
Jones told the board the district is proposing a starting teacher salary of $52,015 and a mix of raises including a 1.6% step adjustment and two 1% cost-of-living increases (one in July and one the following January). "This budget reflects our deep commitment to retaining and recruiting top talent who make a difference every single day," Jones said.
The proposal keeps the current millage rate and does not ask taxpayers for an increase, the superintendent said. The district projects the total operational budget will rise by about $36.3 million while the district's overall budget will decrease by roughly $22.7 million; the drop largely reflects lower capital spending and the end of federal ESSER grant funding.
The budget documents presented by Mr. Gardner show the district's operational expenditures for 2025-26 at about $807.7 million, with roughly 79.5% of that amount in personnel costs across all funds and 86.4% of the general fund allocated to salaries and benefits. Gardner said the district expects about 491 new students when school opens in August and plans to open two new schools, which together drive some of the operational increases.
The proposal also calls for hiring roughly 22.5 additional special-education full-time equivalents and other staff increases: additional substitute budgeting, expanded bus-monitor coverage (budgeted at about $449,000), additional custodial/building services staffing, and operating costs for two new schools (about $1.1 million). One-time items listed in the budget include $200,000 for an artificial-intelligence instructional tool, $215,000 to continue the Care Solace program (previously funded by ESSER), modular classroom lease extensions ($495,000) and two new safety vehicles ($92,000).
On fund balance, the administration proposes using about $32.6 million of reserves in the 2025-26 plan. Gardner said the district projects to end the current fiscal year with a surplus (projected just under $5.2 million) and that after the proposed use there would remain about $28.8 million above the board's minimum fund-balance designation. Board member Barnard asked staff to confirm whether a state law citation he found (Title 59, Chapter 20, Education Finance Act of 1977) affects minimum fund-balance requirements; Jones committed to bring back precise legal guidance and a follow-up discussion with outside experts.
The presentation outlined revenue changes: an expected $31.4 million increase in property-tax revenue across funds; a modest increase in the education capital improvement sales tax; and reduced ESSER federal funding. Gardner said federal carryover reductions explain some decreases to IDEA funding and that school nutrition programs will continue under the Community Eligibility Provision so all students can receive free breakfast and lunch next year.
Jones closed the budget presentation by describing a plan to implement zero-based budgeting across departments, a multi-year path to a balanced budget within five years and a review of supplements, stipends and extra-duty pay to align compensation practices with district priorities.
The board scheduled publication of the required legal notice in local newspapers and set a path for a finance-committee review and public hearing in May and June as part of the formal adoption process.
