Carroll County board approves start of five-year local facilities plan update to access state funds

The Carroll County Board of Education on June 19 unanimously approved a resolution authorizing staff to begin the five-year update of the district’s local facilities plan, a step Superintendent Scott Cowart said is required by the Georgia Department of Education to preserve eligibility for state funds.

Cowart told the board the five-year update aligns local master plans with the state’s requirements and that the state uses facility and enrollment information to calculate funding eligibility. He said updating the plan is the “first step in the process” and allows the district to remain in compliance and apply for state assistance for facilities.

During discussion a board member asked whether the district is required to update the state as enrollment and facility needs change; Cowart said the district must update the state with information such as added square footage so the state can “plug it into their calculators.” He also noted a recent state change that will allow pre-K classrooms to be counted for state funding going forward. As Cowart put it, “they've changed the the rule now… the pre k classrooms will be counted as part of that and can get state funding as we move to the future.”

A motion to proceed with the resolution received a second and passed unanimously by voice vote, according to the public transcript. The approval authorizes district staff to begin the state-required update and continue aligning the local master plan with state facility funding processes.