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Superintendent reports registration progress, scholarship update, AI planning and a projected revenue drop
Summary
District officials reported ongoing summer registration, a Pine Belt Foundation scholarship update, exploration of artificial intelligence tools for instruction and a projected drop in estimated revenue for FY26 from $29.8 million to $27.8 million.
During the superintendent's report, district leaders provided updates on summer registration, a locally administered scholarship fund, artificial intelligence planning, facility preparations and the district's preliminary revenue estimate for fiscal 2026.
The superintendent said online registration remains open through the summer and urged parents to complete registration so students can receive schedules on day one of school. Staff have set up computer labs and on-campus assistance for families needing help; the superintendent said early registration is typical and the district is exploring changes to encourage earlier completion.
On scholarships, the superintendent reported meeting with a representative of the foundation that manages an ongoing district scholarship fund and said the foundation's earnings have covered scholarship payments to date. The foundation has used surplus funds in some cases to pay for summer school or books for students in need; the foundation representative recommended waiting until next summer to assess whether changes such as dual-enrollment funding or expanded programmatic uses are required.
The superintendent and administrators also reported attending a statewide administrators' conference and discussed plans to study artificial intelligence tools for both administrative productivity and instructional use. The district plans meetings with teachers and administrators to evaluate which AI platforms would be appropriate and how to train staff and students to use them.
On operations and the budget, the superintendent said classrooms and floors are being prepared for the school year, with teacher orientation in late July and students returning August 1. The district submitted a preliminary revenue estimate for fiscal year 2026 of about $27,800,000, down from an estimated $29,800,000 in 2025, reflecting uncertainty about certain grants including a 21st Century grant and other grant funding that may not be awarded. The superintendent said the language in the required newspaper advertisement for revenue hearings can be confusing; the ad's statutory language may suggest a proposed increase even when the estimate is a reduction.
No board action was required on these informational items.
