Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Superintendent warns budget uncertainty as he urges MTSS rollout to address behavior and achievement
Summary
District leaders described budget pressure from rising fixed costs and delayed federal/state allocations while the superintendent outlined a districtwide Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to address behavior, attendance and achievement gaps; he said budget placeholders are in the draft and that budgets will be revised after July 1.
The superintendent told the Randolph County Schools board that the district faces significant budget pressures as it prepares the FY26 budget and urged a concentrated rollout of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to reduce absenteeism, disciplinary incidents and achievement gaps.
In a detailed presentation, the superintendent said the district is contending with high fixed costs, utility and salary pressures and uncertainty about federal allocations that have been delayed. He said staff were using placeholders for Title I and Title II in the draft budget because state and federal appropriations remain unclear and that many budgets are likely to be revised after July 1 when additional state and federal details are expected.
On the classroom and student-support side, the superintendent framed MTSS as a pre-K–12 model that integrates academic, behavioral and social-emotional supports, arguing strong implementation fidelity would reduce chronic absenteeism and disciplinary writeups and improve outcomes—especially in higher-poverty schools. He also said MTSS must be paired with data systems, staff training and, where possible, common assessment tools to guide interventions.
During the financial update, district staff reported they are “roughly 2 and a.5 million” in carryover goals and said they were projecting placeholders and potential additional allocations (the transcript referenced an additional $200,000 contingent on state action and referenced $100,000 allocations for specific schools). The superintendent said the state and federal funding processes include multi-layered approvals and that grant-management structures at the federal level are in flux, which could slow allocations.
Administrators cautioned that without clearer funding, the district faces difficult trade-offs to ensure employees are paid and essential programs are maintained; they reiterated that the FY26 budget will be adjusted as state and federal information becomes available.
The board asked clarifying questions about testing time, attendance and how MTSS would be implemented across grade levels. The superintendent said principals are already considering schedule changes and pilot implementations for the coming year, and staff will return with more concrete budget and staffing recommendations.
