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Moore County Schools presents $182.2 million 2025-26 original budget and recommends lowering fund-balance floor
Summary
The Moore County Schools administration presented an original 2025-26 budget totaling $182,200,518 that reflects small net growth driven by step and benefit increases; staff recommended temporarily lowering the district's unassigned general fund balance practice from $2,000,000 to $1,000,000 to accommodate potential state-driven salary increases.
Moore County Schools on Monday presented its original 2025-26 budget to the Board of Education, showing total proposed appropriations of $182,200,518 and a small net increase over the prior year driven mainly by step and benefits costs.
Assistant Superintendent for Budget and Finance Tina Edmonds told the board that the district's budget reflects the state's recently enacted mini-budget and that some state-level salary increases remain unresolved. "The total original budget resolution is $182,200,518," Edmonds said during the presentation.
The draft reflects an increase of $1,044,575, or 0.58%, from the 2024-25 original budget. Edmonds said the increase was driven by $3,921,188 added across funds 1, 2, 5 and 8 primarily to cover step and benefit increases, offset by a $2,876,613 reduction in funds 3 and 4 largely via a strategic use of fund balance for capital repairs.
Key line items Edmonds reported include: state (Fund 1) $102,425,037; local (Fund 2) $41,955,151; federal (Fund 3) $11,095,952; capital outlay (Fund 4) $4,229,176; school nutrition (Fund 5) $9,010,100; child care (Fund 7) $1,500,000; and restricted funds (Fund 8) $11,985,102.
Edmonds said the county appropriation increased by $1,295,423 under the Moore County Board of Commissioners' funding formula, a 3.39% local increase. She also said the federal budget is lower because there are no ESSER funds in 2025-26 and that the district reduced its projected local fund balance appropriation from its preliminary $2,943,742 to $1,855,133 due primarily to the state not yet enacting salary increases.
Because a state-approved salary increase of 2% or greater would lower the district's projected unassigned fund balance below the board's long-standing practice of maintaining at least $2,000,000 in unassigned general fund balance, Edmonds recommended that the board revise that practice now to allow a $1,000,000 minimum for the 2025-26 year. She said the change would be revisited if and when the state finalizes a budget with raises.
Superintendent Neil Locklear and board members discussed the proposal and alternate options, including a suggested $1.5 million floor. Locklear said the district could return to amend the appropriation if the legislature later enacts salary increases that must be funded locally.
The board's budget committee and staff flagged continued uncertainty about state decisions on raises and noted the district will present a budget amendment if state action requires additional appropriations.
What happens next: staff said the original budget resolution will be placed on the board's October 13 agenda for final action; any change to the unassigned fund-balance practice can be revised later if needed.
