Kershaw County School Board hears 2025–26 budget update as state moves teacher-pay changes through legislature

KERSHAW COUNTY, S.C. — Kershaw County School District officials updated the school board on the district’s standing in the 2025–26 state and federal budget process and flagged policy changes the Legislature has advanced that will affect local decisions.

The report to the board on the district’s revenue outlook and grant awards came during the meeting’s budget-update segment. Mr. Willard, who presented the slides, summarized differences between the House and earlier Ways and Means proposals and reviewed projected changes to state and federal revenue.

The presentation emphasized a House decision to increase the state minimum teacher salary schedule by $1,500, moving the minimum to $48,500. “KCSD currently is starting at 48,100,” Mr. Willard said, noting the district is closer to the new floor than many districts. He added the House proposal removed the bachelor’s-plus-18 column from the schedule, which would leave districts to decide how to treat teachers who hold that credential.

Why that column has been dropped was not clear to district staff. Mr. Willard said, “I have not gotten a clear answer, from our circles as to why that may be the case.” He also told the board the district employs about “40 teachers who fall into that bachelor’s 18 area,” a small share of the workforce.

The district also highlighted changes to the State Health Plan. Presenters said one component appears as a $36.76 per-month increase for the employee-only tier — roughly a $440 annual increase — and that an employer-side 4.6% increase tied to retiree insurance would be reflected as additional revenue in state calculations rather than a net district cost. “What we are being told is that is the section that this applies to. So it is not increased cost to the district in the amount of 4.6%,” Mr. Willard said.

On other revenue items, presenters noted the Education Scholarship Trust Fund language moved between budget versions and that the House shifted a previously proposed $45,000,000 lottery allocation into the general fund. The presenters warned that shift reduces money available in the general-fund calculations by that amount when negotiators reconcile the budget.

Federal funding outlooks were described as unchanged for the district’s major awards, with Title I and IDEA representing the largest current federal grants. On McKinney-Vento funds for students experiencing homelessness, the district explained that funding streams have shifted in recent years and some money previously wrapped into ARP/ESSER grants is now being made available as separate passthroughs. “We actually had hopes in the beginning it was gonna be much higher, but it was so competitive,” Mr. Willard said of recent McKinney-Vento allocations.

Board members asked clarifying questions about property tax (millage) assumptions and timing. Mr. Willard said he would check assessed-valuation trends with the county and report back. He also warned that the state salary-schedule intent is to cover the mandated minimum first, and district leaders will assess how much “meat” remains in the budget to cover other local priorities.

The presentation included a $750,000 preliminary Tier 3 increase tied to Act 388 calculations and noted estimated fringe-cost increases based on salary changes are currently provisional.

Why it matters: the Legislature’s final decisions on the teacher-salary schedule, State Health Plan adjustments and one-line budget moves will shape the district’s local budget choices this spring, including whether to use fund balance for targeted priorities.

What’s next: district staff said they will return with more detailed local budget proposals during the board’s budget process and will follow up on requested county valuation data and any changes emerging from the Senate during final budget negotiations.