Floyd County school leaders ask supervisors for more local funds to raise pay, buy buses and address building needs

School officials on Thursday told the Floyd County Board of Supervisors that state funding changes have shifted a larger share of public school costs to local taxpayers and asked for additional local match dollars to shore up staff pay, replace buses and begin addressing long-deferred facility repairs.

Dr. Kramer, speaking for the Floyd County School division, said two technical changes drove the request: the Department of Education’s rebenchmarking process and the local composite index (LCI). "Rebenchmarking added about $2,200,000 for Floyd County," Mr. Booth, the schools’ finance presenter, said, adding that the statewide rebenchmarking total was near $1.2 billion. Booth explained that rebenchmarking and the LCI combined to shift more cost responsibility to localities.

The BOE’s draft FY27 budget uses those additional local-match funds primarily to make salaries more competitive, address an aging transportation fleet and increase the employer portion of health insurance, officials said. "Our staff continue to put out a fabulous product despite their low pay," Dr. Kramer said. He cited a recent salary study showing the division ranks about 120 out of 131 divisions for starting teacher pay and said the district sits in the bottom 9% statewide for teacher salaries.

On transportation, officials outlined fleet problems: the district operates 38 route buses (average age 13 years on route buses; 15 years when spares are included), with 11 needing immediate replacement, another 11 needing replacing within three to five years, and several in critical condition. "We put three buses, purchased outright, in this draft budget," Dr. Kramer said, explaining that buying a small number outright was more cost-effective than a long-term loan that would carry financing charges.

Board members asked how much the proposed local funding would move the division toward competitiveness with neighboring counties. Officials said the draft assumes a 2% raise to align with the governor’s budget proposal but warned that modest percentage raises do little to close a gap rooted in starting-salary differences. "A simple 3% or 5% raise is not going to get us close," Dr. Kramer said, noting neighboring divisions occasionally award larger increases that widen the relative gap.

The meeting included discussion of employee health benefits. Dr. Kramer said the district is self-funded and the employer portion averages about $8,000 per covered employee; roughly 214 of about 350 staff members participate in the plan. Board members and officials discussed whether shifting more employer contribution to reduce employee premiums would functionally act like a raise for employees.

Several board members and staff also highlighted pressing capital needs. Speakers cited a failing high-school parking lot (one badly damaged strip would cost roughly $70,000 to repair) and a quoted HVAC replacement for a gym near $800,000. Officials said the BOE is preparing a capital improvement plan to prioritize projects and identify funding strategies rather than attempt ad hoc repairs.

On procurement, the board and staff discussed medium-sized buses as a lower-cost option (about $15,000 less per unit) and the constraints that route lengths and passenger counts place on bus size. Officials said they continue to monitor grant and procurement opportunities that could reduce the local share, and that relying on grant funding is the preferred route when possible.

No motions or votes were taken. Officials said they will refine their request once the House and Senate budget differences and the governor’s final proposal are clearer. "We appreciate the chance to come sit down and listen," one supervisor said at the close of the meeting.

The board did not take formal action; officials said the schools will return with further budget detail after state actions clarify available funds.