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District launches FY27 budget season; staff lists mandated costs and presents salary‑increase options
Summary
Superintendent Doctor Price and staff launched the FY27 budget process, stressing revenue projections are pending. Staff listed state and federal mandates, fixed-cost pressures and presented Lexington 1 salary options (a $500 minimum bump to preserve a $2,000 cushion above the state scale and alternative $1,000–$2,000 options).
The Lexington County School District One leadership formally opened the FY27 budget season and told trustees that revenue forecasts from state and local sources are still pending, so tonight’s session was an introduction rather than a prioritization exercise.
Doctor Price summarized three focus points for the budget process: honor the salary study committee recommendations (maintain a cushion above the state's starting scale), sustain low student–teacher ratios using established FTE guidance, and address facility needs identified in the ongoing facilities study. Staff warned that several mandates and fixed costs (including a food-service fringe transfer, an anticipated 2% bus-driver state minimum increase if adopted, and increased audit and insurance fees) will affect budget capacity.
Staff presented "Lexington 1" standards that include a proposed $500 increase to the certified starting salary to preserve a $2,000 cushion above the state's minimum if the state raises the scale. They also presented alternatives (raise starting pay by $1,000, $1,500 or a full $2,000) and gave estimated dollar impacts for each option. Staff noted that the district currently maintains a $3,500 cushion above the state minimum and that choices will be finalized after state and local revenue projections are available.
Staff detailed fixed-cost line items and personnel-related requests: an estimated step increase for certified staff (presented at just over $4,000,000), an increase for substitute coverage driven by higher salary scales used for long‑term substitutes, replenishing special pools (for 1:1 aides and supplemental programs), and accounting for newly required American Sign Language interpreter qualifications (a reclassification from communication facilitators).
Board members asked for demonstrative math showing the net effect of step increases versus retirees rolling off, and requested a clearer breakdown of current pool funding so they can evaluate increases for next year. Several trustees discussed alternatives to embedding higher recurring salary increases — for example, one-time bonuses versus permanent schedule changes — and staff cautioned that one-time payouts would likely require fund balance rather than recurring revenue. Staff flagged that a fund-balance drawdown was used last year to balance the budget and that relying repeatedly on one-time money has limits.
Next steps: staff will return with follow-up details, clarified counts and pro formas from the facilities study, and revenue projections expected before the board's first reading of the FY27 general fund budget at the April meeting. Trustees will use those updated numbers to weigh Lexington 1 standard choices and other priorities.
