District presents FY25–26 first-quarter financial update; board asks for clearer running totals

The Board’s Committee on Finance and Human Resources presented the Berkeley County School District’s FY25–26 first-quarter financial update (July 1–Sept. 30) on Dec. 15.

Presenter Miss Averson reported the district’s general fund budget at $486,000,000 with revenue components described in the presentation and a variety of encumbrances and remaining balances across special revenue and capital funds. She gave line-item figures for receipts and remaining balances through Sept. 30, noting the district had spent approximately $79,000,000 and had various encumbrances on capital and special revenue accounts.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about which budgets particular items fall under — for example, whether band uniforms are part of general operating, capital, or activity funds — and Averson said band uniform purchases had been handled through capital funding for this cycle. Board members also pressed for better visibility into impact fee collections and whether those funds were commingled by the county when remitted to the district; administration said the county provides lump-sum payments and staff will follow up to request segregation and a contract-level breakdown.

The committee also reviewed penny sales tax historical receipts and projections and noted several major capital projects due to finalize in 2026 that were factored into cash-flow planning. Board members asked administration to double-check percentage-of‑budget expenditures at this early point in the fiscal year; the presenter said she would follow up with more granular detail.

The committee recommended approval of the out-of-state travel and the first-quarter financial materials; the board approved the committee’s recommendations in full.