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Clay County Board of Education approves 2024–25 budget, sets starting teacher pay at $45,000
Summary
The Clay County Board of Education adopted its 2024–25 general purpose budget and a salary schedule that raises the starting teacher salary to $45,000 and includes a $1-an-hour increase for noncertified staff. Board members said tighter grant funding required a leaner budget while retaining reserves for capital needs.
The Clay County Board of Education voted to adopt the 2024–25 general purpose school budget and an accompanying salary schedule that sets the starting teacher salary at $45,000.
The budget presentation by Ashley, who led the finance briefing, said the district built a tighter budget in anticipation of declining federal ESSER and other grant funds and added modest pay increases to remain competitive. "So, we put it at 45,000," Ashley said when describing the new starting teacher salary. Board members later approved the budget and salary schedule by roll call vote.
Why it matters: The salary bump places the district's starting pay above the state minimum of $44.05 and aims to help with teacher recruitment and retention as grant funding shrinks. The budget also includes a $1-per-hour increase for noncertified employees and sets aside capital funds for a CTE building and the purchase of a bus.
Details: Ashley said the salary schedule will be implemented in $2,500 increments over four years for certain steps and that the proposed budget assumes a moderate increase in insurance and food-service costs. She noted an earlier CTAS consultant change and said planning for capital projects—such as the CTE building—remains on an August-to-September procurement timeline pending approval from the Tennessee Fire Marshal. On the bus purchase, Ashley said the last bus cost $113,000 and that she budgeted a per-unit estimate in the capital outlay.
Board members discussed budget lines including insurance (built at 7 percent), food-supply increases, and kitchen remodel completion for a K–8 site. One board member said the planning meeting left attendees comfortable with the document. The board approved the budget and salary schedule on motion; the transcript does not show a detailed roll-call tally in the excerpt provided.
What comes next: District staff said they will present the budget for final county-level actions as required and will return with any necessary adjustments if county growth-fund determinations change. The board will monitor grant changes and return to the board if revisions are needed.
