School board approves 2025-26 staffing formula; district to fund school data clerks centrally

Bay County School Board members on April 8 approved the district's staffing formula for the 2025-26 school year, a package of changes district leaders said will standardize administrative staffing, protect kindergarten class-size limits and free school-based dollars by centralizing school data clerk funding.

Superintendent McQueen (identified in meeting discussion) and his staff described the proposal as an attempt to "right-size" allocations after observing variation across similar schools. The plan moves school data clerks from individual school budgets to a district-funded, centrally paid position because the district relies on school data clerks for required student data reporting. District staff said the change will free roughly $355,000 in school budgets and standardize pay and staffing across schools.

Key changes approved by the board include: - Central funding for school data clerks (moved off school-level budgets to the district general fund). Staff estimated roughly $1.6 million would fund all data clerks and that shifting the funding would return about $355,000 to school budgets. - Lower kindergarten class-size target of 16 students (carried forward from prior year policy the board had approved earlier) and retention of existing student-teacher ratios for grade bands (1:8 for K-3 ESE in some programs, 1:22 for grades 4-8, and 1:25 for 9-12 general instruction). - Additional dean/administrator positions at specific schools designated as pre-K centers or turnaround schools (Walsingham, Northside, Cedar Grove and Oscar Patterson) and conversion or additions of dean posts where appropriate; Rosenwald will receive an added dean. - Attention to combination schools (K-8, K-12, 6-12) with changes aimed at parity with single-level schools. - Consolidation plan: New Horizons programming will be consolidated under Rosenwald leadership with a principal (Mister McQuaid) overseeing the combined site; Rosenwald administrative allocations were adjusted accordingly.

Board discussion included concerns about preserving supports at schools with higher needs. Board member Mister Chester urged caution about changing resources at struggling schools, while other members and the superintendent said some schools would gain positions and others would lose; overall the net staffing across the district was described as nearly neutral.

A motion to approve the 2025-26 staffing formula carried on a roll-call vote. Votes recorded: Chester yes; Moore yes; Leonard yes; Moss yes; Register no. The superintendent's office said staff will continue to monitor ESE staffing needs and return with targeted supplementals if required.

District leaders said changes will be phased in with the normal budget and staffing timelines and that the district will update principals and staff on any implementation steps that follow the board vote.