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District presents preliminary FY2026 budget plan, warns of funding gap and proposed right‑sizing
Summary
Staff presented a FY2026 draft budget showing proposed revenues of about $292.7 million and a funding gap of roughly $7.2 million to reach $299.9 million in proposed expenditures; staff described right‑sizing measures including 54 positions and noted limited local taxing authority compared with neighboring districts.
Dorchester County School District 2 staff presented a preliminary FY2026 budget overview on April 14 that projects roughly $292.7 million in revenues and a draft expenditure plan of about $299.9 million, leaving an estimated $7.2 million shortfall under current assumptions.
Budget staff said local property tax growth and state funding updates have improved revenue projections since an earlier draft; the district expects about $5.5 million more in local property tax revenue due to updated county auditor figures. Still, staff said additional revenue would be needed to restore some requested staffing and district office positions.
To address the gap, administrators proposed a combination of measures they described as “right‑sizing.” The draft includes reducing certain classroom allocations, eliminating two district‑office positions (one of them described earlier in the meeting as an unfilled assistant director of safety), and a net reduction of 52 allocations in schools and two district positions — a total of 54 positions — subject to final enrollment and state funding.
Budget staff described the district’s limited fiscal autonomy compared with neighboring counties: Dorchester 2 does not have unilateral authority to raise millage; millage changes require county council action. Staff noted a long‑running structural disparity in revenue per student between Dorchester 2 and nearby Charleston County (cited in the meeting as approximately $14,230 per student for Dorchester 2 versus $26,125 for Charleston County), and said those differences drive persistent funding gaps.
The presentation included proposed teacher pay increases in the draft: the starting teacher salary proposal for FY2026 would rise to $50,500 under the base draft, with a further $1,500 contingent on additional local revenue (bringing the potential starting salary to $52,000 if extra funds are available). The board was told the district is working through state budget developments and will present updated figures to the board and county council in coming weeks.
Board members and staff emphasized the need for community engagement and noted a district town hall scheduled for April 25 to discuss the budget. Trustees also described plans to brief county officials and return with a final budget recommendation after state funding and enrollment figures are finalized.
No final budget vote was taken; staff will return with updated figures, a revised calendar and any recommended changes after further meetings with county and state officials.
