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Randolph County Board of Education presents proposed $30 million fiscal 2026 budget
Summary
At a special-call meeting, finance presenter Beth Harper Waters outlined the Randolph County Schools proposed FY2026 budget, noting roughly $30 million in total revenues, state funding as the largest share, a required one‑month operating balance, pressure from rising bus costs, and the district’s continued participation in the CEP free-meal program.
Beth Harper Waters presented the Randolph County Schools proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 during a special-call Board of Education meeting. She said total budgeted revenues across funds amount to about $30 million and gave a breakdown showing state funds as the largest source followed by local and federal revenues.
Waters summarized key budget figures and constraints, saying, “A budget is just an estimate of revenues [and] expenses for the upcoming year.” She noted the district receives state funding based on average daily membership (ADM) counted 20 days after Labor Day and that current preliminary ADM data show relatively small change from last year. Waters reported the district’s required one‑month operating balance is $2,159,986 and said her projection for FY2026 is a 3.58 reserve.
The presentation included program- and fund-level detail: state funding of roughly $19 million, local revenue near $7.5 million, and special revenue funds projected at about $4.2 million. Waters reviewed federal program allocations—citing approximately $1,000,000 for Title I and about $140,000 for Title II—and said IDEA and other federal funds do not fully cover special-education expenses. She said most special-revenue spending is for salaries and benefits and that the district has pursued catastrophic grants in past years to cover some special-education overage.
Waters also flagged transportation as an area of concern. Board discussion noted that bus prices have risen substantially—speakers said a bus that previously cost in the $70,000 range now runs $130,000–$140,000—while state reimbursement formulas effectively cover only about $80,000 per bus, creating a funding gap for the district.
The presenter reaffirmed that the district remains on the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), meaning all students receive free breakfast and lunch, and she reviewed how teacher-unit allocations are tied to ADM. She described modest changes in teacher-unit counts (a net gain of 0.36 units in Waters’ account) and cautioned that day-to-day ADM estimates can change before the state’s official count.
The presentation referenced a recent state law establishing the RAISE Act (transcribed in the record as “Act 20 25 2 57”), which Waters said reorganized certain categories of state funding for students with specific needs. She closed by inviting questions; no final adoption vote on the budget was recorded in the meeting transcript.
The board continued with separate personnel business after the hearing. The district did not record a final adoption or formal vote on the FY2026 budget during this session.
