Hardeman County board approves budget amendments and grant budgets, including school security upgrades

The Hardeman County Board of Education approved a package of budget amendments and grant budgets at its meeting, adopting adjustments that include funds for teacher bonuses, two copier purchases and a school security grant to add barriers, card-access upgrades and a vestibule entrance at Middleton High School.

The board accepted a final allocation increase to the CTE Perkins budget described in the packet as an increase of $715. The board packet also showed an identified decrease to the pre-K budget described in the discussion as "600 and $36"; the transcript did not specify the exact numeric amount beyond that phrasing. Officials said a state-provided general-purpose flow-through was used for teacher bonuses that passed through to staff under state guidance.

A general-purpose amendment (budget code referenced in the packet) included purchases of two copiers for the mail room and another building, with the packet showing the change as $28,900 for those purchases. The board acted on the recommendation of the budget committee and approved the amendments by voice vote after a motion that was seconded by Mister Swift, with the chair calling for “aye” votes.

The board also approved new and amended grant budgets: a 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant to fund after-school tutors at Bolivar Elementary, Tun Elementary and Milton Elementary; the final year of an Innovative School Model grant to be used for textbooks, supplies, a library upgrade and teacher salaries; a Public School Security grant (identified as coming through Homeland Security) to fund physical barriers, card-access capability for four schools and a vestibule/security entrance at Middleton High School; a special-education pre-K grant to fund an early-education teacher and assistant; a GEAR UP grant to fund three coordinators (listed for Milton High School and Barber Central High School) and after-school tutoring; and early-literacy pre-K teacher stipends to cover summer training.

Budget presenters said some of the adjustments were technical or pass-through changes required to follow state guidance; committee members recommended approval before the full board voted. Board members were directed to the budget packet on their Chromebooks for full line-item detail.

The motions to approve the amendments and the list of grant budgets were carried by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.