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Lee County Board hears midyear reading results, considers safety tech and reviews budget snapshot
Summary
At its Feb. 10 meeting the Lee County Board heard winter screening results showing midyear literacy gains in lower grades, reviews of per‑pupil spending and a nearly $540,000 January collections spike, and considered two safety technologies that staff may recommend for budget approval.
The Lee County Board of Education on Feb. 10 received midyear literacy results, a budget overview and proposals for school‑safety technology as part of routine reports to the board.
On assessment results, Katie Pepper, senior director of elementary leadership and learning, presented winter universal‑screener data. Pepper described Mira (used in K–3) and FastBridge (used for higher grades) as formative "pulse checks" given three times a year to guide instruction. The transcript records Pepper saying the winter estimate showed 88% of third‑grade students reading on grade level, and she compared that with a previous figure of 76% for third grade from an earlier year. Pepper and board members discussed test timing and student motivation as factors in midyear dips and described school-level interventions, including additional support classes and targeted instruction.
In finance, Gary Kelly, the district's executive director of finance, reviewed the budget structure and priorities. He noted a local property revaluation under way that could materially affect revenues and reiterated priorities such as maintaining adopted class sizes, addressing state health‑insurance increases, and improving pay when the digest allows. Kelly also said Lee County's per‑pupil spending compares near the lower end of Georgia districts in available state data.
Kelly and Dr Tru also flagged an unexplained increase in SPA (special local collections) for January: the transcript records SPA collections for the month totaled $539,500, roughly $100,000 higher than the previous month. Staff said they would investigate possible sources of the rise and report back.
On safety, Assistant Superintendent Kevin Dling described two systems under consideration. One, referred to in the transcript as CICS, combines wearable alert badges with building mapping that can relay location and allow law‑enforcement partners to view building maps during an emergency. The second system, described in the record as "School dog," is a phone/computer application for logging facility‑safety observations (doors propped open, maintenance issues) and tracking remediation over time. Dling said CICS requires installed hardware and a one‑time expenditure plus ongoing costs, and staff recommended including potential purchases in the budget process and returning to the board for formal approval if selected.
The board approved routine items during the meeting, including minutes and the December 2024 financial report, and adjourned after a unanimous vote on a separate resolution to opt out of the statewide homestead exemption tied to House Bill 581.
Board members did not take public comment during the meeting night. The next regular meeting is scheduled for March 10, 2025.
