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Superintendent warns of state funding cuts; Anderson High School closed until inspections after sprinkler failure
Summary
Superintendent Larry Hook told the Forest Hills board that state funding simulations tied to the Fair School Funding Act could reduce district revenues and that a sprinkler failure at Anderson High School damaged an electrical panel, potentially disrupting school operations while repairs and inspections proceed.
Superintendent Larry Hook told the Forest Hills Local School District board that the district is monitoring potential state funding reductions tied to the governor's proposed budget and the Fair School Funding Act.
Hook said the district's preliminary simulations of the governor's budget show a potential loss to Forest Hills of approximately $261,000 in the first year and about $328,000 in the second year of the biennial budget. He warned those reductions compound on the district's five-year forecast and could grow into multi-year shortfalls if the formula is implemented quickly without adjustments. "If we took the governor's simulations, Forest Hills would stand to lose, about $261,000, the first year of the biennial budget and 328,000, in the second year," he said.
Hook said the district is contacting legislators and its lobbyists; he described the statewide picture as uneven, with nearly 60% of districts slated to lose funding under current simulations. He urged lawmakers to slow implementation of the Fair School Funding Act so the inputs can be corrected and districts are not harmed by abrupt changes.
Separately, Hook reported a mechanical failure at Anderson High School: a sprinkler line froze and ruptured, causing water damage to a major electrical panel. Duke Energy needed to de-energize the panel; the panel must be dried, cleared by an inspector and then re-energized. Hook said the district had emergency generators and was working with contractors, but that the building might not be usable for the start of the school week. "If we can't go on Monday, we'll make an announcement Sunday," Hook said. He added that insurance should cover repairs but the district will front initial costs.
Trustees asked questions about the budget simulations and asked for more detail about the governor's proposals; one trustee asked what would happen if the statutory "guarantee" were removed. Hook explained the guarantee means some districts keep prior funding levels when the formula calculations would otherwise produce a reduction; he said Forest Hills was on the guarantee for about $6.2 million in 2025. He said losing the guarantee would be "catastrophic" for the district.
Board members discussed next steps for advocacy and for monitoring roof and permanent-improvement projects. Hook said the district is preparing for the 2025 summer project schedule and noted ongoing permanent-improvement and roofing work and outstanding encumbrances from prior projects.
The superintendent's report was received for discussion; trustees asked to be kept informed as legislative action proceeds and as repairs at Anderson progress.
