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Scotland County Schools asks commissioners to retain $10 million appropriation; superintendent highlights enrollment, staffing and capital needs
Summary
Superintendent presented district enrollment and staffing data, highlighted gains in graduation and staff retention, outlined Career and Technical Education pathways, and requested the county keep its $10 million appropriation and $300,000 in capital outlay to support programs and a lease payment for South Johnson Elementary.
Scotland County Schools Superintendent Dr. Baldwin urged commissioners to retain a county appropriation of $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2025-26 and a $300,000 capital outlay allocation, providing an overview of district enrollment, staffing and program achievements and explaining how local dollars are being spent.
Dr. Baldwin told the board the district serves approximately 5,118 students (presentation slide referenced "51 18"), plus about 300 prekindergarten children not included in average daily membership (ADM). He said the district employs about 846 staff, including roughly 570 certified teachers; 73% of staff live in Scotland County. The superintendent reported a teacher retention rate near 95% and a graduation rate around 88%, above the state average the presenter cited as 86.9%.
The superintendent described the district's Career and Technical Education offerings and apprenticeship partnerships, saying the system provides multiple trade pathways (electrical, plumbing, carpentry, culinary, medical and roofing among others) and credential opportunities for students entering the workforce. He listed 26 CTE pathways and said students had earned industry credentials; the presentation emphasized plumbing and other trades as important local workforce options.
On finances, Dr. Baldwin outlined how the district used its local appropriation, lottery funds and lease revenue. He said South Johnson Elementary is funded through a 20-year lease that began in December 2018 and runs through December 2038; the slide presented a South Johnson lease payment of about $2,116,706.26 for the period discussed, with lottery funds and sale-tax projections contributing to that payment. The superintendent said the district applied approximately $382,009.73 in lottery funds toward its costs and that a remaining balance of about $720,007.72 would come from local county appropriation in the district's accounting presented to the board.
Dr. Baldwin asked the commissioners to hold the school appropriation at the current funding level of $10 million for the coming year, arguing the funds are essential to sustain momentum in instruction, student supports, and personnel. He said rising employer costs (retirement, hospitalization) make sustaining staff and program support a priority.
Commissioners questioned several line items; Dr. Baldwin and operations director Dr. Chapman described a multi-year project to convert district landlines to Voice-over-IP, which the staff said should reduce landline costs and cut mobile-phone charges substantially (the presentation projected roughly $100,000 in annual savings and a 60% reduction in mobile charges). Dr. Chapman noted e-rate funding restrictions meant some central-office and transportation systems could not use those federal subsidies and that local funds had to advance infrastructure work.
The presentation closed with the superintendent thanking commissioners for past support and reiterating the district's request to maintain the appropriation and capital outlay to keep staff and programs intact.
