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Caswell County Schools staff explain Title II spending and sign-on bonuses; board asks for clearer approvals
Summary
School staff reviewed Title II grant-year accounting, explained how sign-on bonuses were paid, and agreed to bring a formal sign-on bonus proposal to the next meeting for board approval and clearer personnel listing.
Caswell County Schools staff presented a breakdown of Title II federal funds and how sign-on bonuses for recent hires have been administered, and the school board asked staff to return with a formal proposal and clearer documentation for future approvals.
The district’s presentation, led by Beatrice Beavers with Austin Morris assisting, explained that federal Title II allocations are now tracked by grant year and that the district is using a ‘‘oldest-money-first’’ approach because each grant year is a 27-month award. Morris and Beavers said some line items appear only in particular grant years because budget writers do not put every object code in every grant year; instead, they place expenses where they expect them to be spent most quickly.
Board members focused on how sign-on bonuses were determined and recorded. Morris said he continued a sign-on bonus program established under a previous superintendent and that the original proposal targeted math, science and exceptional children positions. Board members said the bonuses appeared to have been paid to a broader set of hires than the board had explicitly approved earlier and asked for future transparency and uniformity in who is eligible.
Board members requested that sign-on bonuses be shown on personnel agenda sheets so the board can see who receives them and when they are authorized. The board directed staff to return with a formal proposal for sign-on bonuses for the upcoming hiring season and indicated that changes for 2025–26 should be presented for board approval.
Staff explained the mechanics and funding flexibility for reallocating Title II funds. Beavers and Morris said funds can be amended between allowable expenditures and object codes (for example moving money into object code 180 for bonuses) as long as expenses remain allowable and within the district plan. They identified potential internal sources for reallocation, including lower-than-projected spending on contracted services, tuition reimbursements, or recruiting supplies (object code 411).
On payout mechanics, staff said sign-on bonuses in the current year were paid monthly so the district could avoid paying the full bonus up front and then having to reclaim it when an employee left mid-year. Staff said this monthly pay practice had helped reduce overpayments when new hires departed.
The board asked staff to present an item at the next meeting with a formal sign-on-bonus policy and a listing of current personnel actions tied to any bonuses to improve check-and-balance oversight.
