Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Budget workshop: district projects FY27 amid enrollment decline, proposes $2,000 teacher-step increase
Summary
At an Orangeburg school budget workshop on March 24, 2026, staff reported a rising fund balance but warned of state-aid reductions tied to enrollment declines and proposed a $2,000 per-step teacher pay increase, a 2% bus-driver raise, and other priorities while stressing no immediate millage increase is being requested.
Gail Sanders presented the Orangeburg school district’s FY26 financial position and FY27 projections at a budget workshop on March 24, 2026, telling the board the consolidated fund balance reached about $44.4 million as of June 2025 but that state-aid adjustments and declining enrollment require cautious planning.
Sanders said revenue collected through Feb. 28 was presented at $12.88 million, expenditures at $87.9 million and an uncommitted balance of about $24.8 million as of the report. She noted fund balance includes receivables, prepaid expenses and grant reimbursements, not only cash on hand.
The presenter walked the board through millage calculations and a Department of Revenue notice that the district could increase millage by up to 5.76 mills. Sanders emphasized, "We are not asking for a tax increase," and said the 5.76-mill allowance would translate to roughly $1.35 million gross (about $1.28 million at a 95% tax-collection assumption) — a figure shown to illustrate revenue capacity, not a current proposal.
Board members…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
