Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Randolph County Schools superintendent seeks $2.2 million from commissioners, stresses continuation costs
Summary
Dr. Steven Gainey presented the Randolph County School System 2025–26 budget request asking commissioners to fund $1,067,299 in continuation costs and other items totaling $2,215,299, emphasizing continuity and student services.
Dr. Steven Gainey, superintendent of the Randolph County School System, asked the Board of Commissioners to include $2,215,299 in the county allocation for the 2025–26 school budget, with $1,067,299 of that labeled as “continuation cost.” Gainey said the continuation figure covers expected increases in benefits and legislatively projected salary steps, and warned that failing to fund it would amount to an immediate budget cut.
“Continuation cost is higher than it's been, $1,067,299,” Dr. Steven Gainey said, listing increases for matching insurance, retirement, and projected legislative salary changes. He described the remainder of the request as a 0.5% supplement pool for employees ($925,000), an additional month of employment for data managers during the district’s transition to Infinite Campus ($123,000), and a $100,000 capital outlay request to keep the facility‑repair plan recurring.
Gainey reviewed enrollment and charter impacts, saying 261 students have enrolled in out‑of‑county charter schools and that the district expects significant state‑funding shifts tied to student assignments. He told commissioners the district has worked to limit its spending requests over 12 years and described prior multi‑year capital and supplement efforts that were phased in with commissioner support. He also said the district has cut about $3 million internally in response to state funding changes.
Commissioners asked several procedural questions, including whether Archdale‑Trinity tax district budgets affect school SRO funding; Gainey said he had not been part of those discussions. No formal vote on the county contribution occurred at the meeting; the presentation was part of the formal budget process and was described as a repeat of the district’s earlier joint meeting presentation.
Gainey provided operational context: the system serves about 14,803 students and 2,080 staff, and he stressed transportation, special education and technology remain underfunded by state allocations. He said $1,028,088 is the district’s estimated daily operating cost and described transportation as a significant recurring expense.
The superintendent concluded by thanking commissioners for past support and asking them to prioritize continuation costs if the county has to make choices.
