White County budget committee approves school grant budgets and amendments, contingent on school board sign-off

The White County Budget Committee approved a set of original grant budgets and several budget amendments for the county school system during its meeting, with committee members noting final implementation depends on formal action by the White County School Board.

Mr. Markham, a staff member presenting school finance items, told the committee it was asked to approve five original budgets for the school federal projects fund, including a $193,587.50 21st Century Community Learning Centers award, a $48,139.33 McKinney-Vento grant for at-risk and homeless students, a $9,087.14 rural education (Title V) allocation for instructional equipment, a $75,000 out-of-school-time career pathways grant for vocational and STEM programming, and a $50,000 Access for All Learning Network grant for special education professional development and materials. “These are 5 original budgets for the school federal projects fund,” Markham said.

Markham said those five grants, and other items the committee considered, are contingent on approval by the school board at its meeting later in the week. He told the committee that if approved by both the school board and the committee, the budgets “would become effective” and that they do not require additional county commission approval.

The committee also approved four amendments to the general purpose school fund fiscal year 2026 budget. The amendments included a $15,000 state grant to pay stipends for prekindergarten teachers attending summer training; a $155,400 state special education preschool grant for preschool instructional and benefit costs; a $7,272,854.44 public school safety grant to be appropriated for security enhancements across district buildings; and a $178,525 appropriation of local funds to operate before- and after-school programs at three elementary schools (Bondycroft, Family and Woodland Park) that do not receive federal funding for that program. Markham said the security grant would be recorded under maintenance of plant.

Finally, the committee approved six amendments to existing federal projects fund budgets. These included additional allocations to Title I (subfund 102) of $38,406.67 to cover portions of teacher and instructional assistant salaries and benefits; Title II (subfund 201) of $57,316.03 primarily for instructional coach salaries and staff development; Title IV (an additional allocation of $9,166.87, with most adjustments moving funds within categories for instructional supplies and coach salaries); an $11,540.83 reduction to the Carl Perkins CTE (Career and Technical Education) Basic Grant (with $6,000 removed from supplies and materials and the remainder from vocational instruction equipment); an IDEA preschool increase of $2,411.15 (subfund 912) to cover educational assistance salaries and supplies; and a $205,173.88 additional allocation to the primary special education program (IDEA Part B, subfund 901) to fund supplies, equipment, private-agency contracts for testing, and staff development. Markham summarized these as state-driven allocation adjustments.

Committee members asked clarifying questions during the presentation. A committee member identified as Chad confirmed that unassigned school fund balances were the source for some local appropriations; Markham confirmed those funds are in the general purpose school fund. Several motions were made and seconded without extended debate; in each case the chair called for and recorded an affirmative voice vote. The approvals the committee recorded were contingent on corresponding school board approval where noted and, in the case of state-funded allocations, on prior state approval or final state allocation amounts.

Votes at a glance

- Five original school federal projects fund budgets (21st Century, McKinney-Vento, Title V Rural Education, out-of-school career pathways, Access for All Learning Network): approved by the committee; contingent on White County School Board approval.

- Four general purpose school fund amendments (pre-K teacher stipends $15,000; state special education preschool $155,400; public school safety grant $7,272,854.44; local funds for before/after-school programs $178,525): approved by the committee; contingent on White County School Board approval.

- Six federal projects fund amendments (Title I +$38,406.67; Title II +$57,316.03; Title IV +$9,166.87; Carl Perkins CTE −$11,540.83; IDEA preschool +$2,411.15; IDEA Part B +$205,173.88): approved by the committee; adjustments reflect state allocations and internal reclassifications.

The committee closed its agenda after a brief public-comment prompt and adjourned; members noted the next budget-committee meeting is expected on October 6 (committee night).