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Board approves $1.11M general fund amendment; approves childcare room upgrades and contracted services
Summary
Trustees approved a general fund budget amendment that increases projected state revenue and funds supplemental items including professional development for a 4K program, additional contracted special-education services, a supplement for the district employee childcare initiative and renovations at Croswell Elementary to meet DSS requirements.
The Pickens County School District Board of Trustees approved a general fund budget amendment that adjusts state revenue projections upward and reallocates funds to several student-support and personnel items, including an expansion of the district employee childcare program.
District finance staff reported an increase of $727,307 in projected state classroom aid and an additional $38,752 in state aid for retiree insurance, for a revenue-side amendment total of $866,059. The district presented a matching expenditure-side adjustment of $1,111,657 that funds line items the administration described as urgent to meet student and staff needs.
Key uses of the amendment - Professional development to prepare teachers for a new experiential 4K program. - Adjustments to School Resource Officer (SRO) funding to align the budget with projected SRO expenditures. - Additional contracted educational services to cover increased needs for speech and school psychology supports. - A $243,720 supplement to the district employee childcare initiative and a $97,080 allocation to renovate childcare rooms at Croswell Elementary to meet South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) standards (adding exterior doors, sidewalks and fire-alarm upgrades).
Administration noted the childcare rooms will remain flexible for other educational uses if demand changes. Officials said the district currently serves about 38 children in the childcare program and expects to supplement the program in FY 2026 while planning to grow toward self-sufficiency.
Board questions and votes Trustees asked about how contracted services compare to hiring district employees and whether the childcare renovations would limit future room use; administration said contracted services are costlier but necessary when staffing pipelines are thin, and the upgrades will not restrict rooms solely to childcare. The amendment was approved by voice/hand-raise vote; no roll-call tally was provided.
