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Surry County Schools outlines pre‑K funding shortfall and options to restore on‑site program at Shoals
Summary
District pre‑K staff told the board the program serves 204 three‑ and four‑year‑olds across 12 five‑star classrooms but runs a roughly $500,000 shortfall; officials said state NC Pre‑K reimbursement covers $496 per child and that restoring on‑site pre‑K at Shoals will require evaluating applications, transportation limits and potential tuition or community funding.
Dr. Katherine Maultsby, the district’s early‑childhood lead, told the Board of Education that Surry County operates 12 licensed five‑star pre‑K classrooms across 10 schools and currently serves 204 three‑ and four‑year‑olds.
She said the program combines three types of slots: 160 state‑funded NC Pre‑K slots (state reimbursement $496 per child), 13 community tuition slots at $560 per month, and six staff tuition slots at $500 per month. Dr. Maultsby said those revenue streams plus Smart Start and some federal and Medicaid funds bring direct pre‑K receipts to just under $900,000 while total pre‑K expenses run about $1.4 million, creating an ongoing shortfall the district covers through a mix of funding sources.
“Staffing is where our money goes,” Dr. Maultsby said, calling high‑quality teachers and trained assistants the core of the five‑star model. She summarized the classroom cost structure, saying a basic teacher/TA classroom (with retirement, FICA and hospitalization included) runs about $126,000 per year and a typical classroom with 14 NC Pre‑K students plus four tuition students brings in roughly $91,000.
The presentation included outcome and assessment data: the district uses TS Gold, DIAL screening and a new Finch literacy screener; combined program growth across measured domains averaged about 31.95 points for the year, Dr. Maultsby said.
Board members pressed on the status of restoring on‑site pre‑K at Shoals Elementary, where the program currently operates offsite. Dr. Maultsby said Shoals produced 11 applications for the coming year (one withdrawn), with two already determined NC Pre‑K eligible, one community tuition application, one applicant over income, and six applications still in processing as parents gather required documents. She explained placement decisions follow NC Pre‑K prioritization (EC students first, then highest need NC Pre‑K applicants, then tuition if room exists) and that the district placed Shoals students at Pilot Mountain last year when the on‑site classroom lacked enrollment and transportation logistics limited options.
Board members asked whether raising tuition or pursuing local fundraising might allow an 18‑student on‑site class at Shoals; Dr. Maultsby said the district can pursue tuition interest and community options but must follow state slot eligibility rules and noted transportation is provided only within a student’s district, which can limit placements at other schools.
The board noted the program’s payoff in later grades. One member said classroom teachers can often tell within minutes which kindergartners attended pre‑K; another observed that while pre‑K is expensive per seat, it yields large developmental gains. Members agreed to reassess Shoals placement after outstanding applications are finalized and to explore tuition or community funding as potential supplements rather than state replacements.
The presentation and Q&A concluded with the board asking for continued updates on application counts, transportation barriers and funding options. The superintendent later reiterated district support for exploring community and foundation help to expand seats where feasible.
