Scotland County commissioners approve resolution urging state review of school funding calculations

Scotland County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution asking state lawmakers to review the state school‑funding calculation and related statutory requirements, commissioners said during a regular meeting.

Commissioners debated whether a forthcoming state standard school funding formula would supersede the county's local "school floor" and raised concerns about a statutory calculation the board said state staff do not routinely provide. "DBI has a statutory requirement that they have to provide this calculation; they never have," one commissioner said during the meeting.

The resolution asks the county's state legislators to consider changes to how local school contributions are calculated and to address perceived problems with the current statutory process. Commissioners said the resolution will be sent to their state representatives and senators for action at the state level.

Speakers at the meeting described local funding pressures tied to declines in average daily membership. One commissioner noted the county has lost "a little over 500 and some students" over seven years, and said that decline increases the per‑pupil amount even when total dollars remain the same. Another commissioner cited state data saying Scotland County "is ranked fiftieth out of a hundred counties in the state" for per‑pupil local contribution and that the county contributes more per pupil than 49 other counties.

The board moved and approved the resolution without recorded opposition. A commissioner said the matter would be out of the county's hands once sent to the state legislature.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the local calculation method and falling student counts can change the per‑pupil measure used in state formulas and in county budgeting decisions. The resolution is intended to prompt state review, not to change county law or immediate funding levels.

Details from the meeting: Commissioners discussed that some counties provide little or no local funding to schools and that Scotland County compares favorably to many other counties in local contribution, while still facing fiscal pressure. Commissioners also emphasized that any change would not produce an immediate, large change to local tax bills.

The resolution was approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition; no individual vote tallies were read into the record.