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Board approves 'Option A' budget request to county after superintendent outlines funding shortfalls
Summary
The board approved Option A, a conservative FY27 local funding request to present to county commissioners, after Superintendent Dr. Fletcher outlined projected state funding losses, exceptional‑children cost pressures and a $350,000 child‑nutrition shortfall. The district will request county assistance if the state awards raises.
The Transylvania County Schools Board of Education voted April 20 to approve Option A as the district’s FY27 budget request to county commissioners after Superintendent Dr. Fletcher outlined three funding scenarios and mounting cost pressures.
Dr. Fletcher told the board the district faces significant reductions in state funding linked to average daily membership and other cost drivers. She said the district expects to lose about $884,000 in state funding next year and approximately $1.3 million over two years. She also highlighted structural gaps: the state caps funding for exceptional‑children programs at 13% of enrollment while the district’s EC enrollment is 19%, and she said the child‑nutrition program is operating at a deficit and will need about $350,000 for FY26/27 unless reimbursements change.
Option A, which Dr. Fletcher called the “responsible minimum,” covers benefit and retirement cost increases for locally funded positions and holds the district within county fiscal guidance. It does not fully replace the projected state funding losses nor include a potential legislative salary increase. Option B and Option C would ask for larger appropriations: Option B would add roughly $1.2 million to cover the estimated state funding loss and other drivers, and Option C would fully fund needs including a projected 5.8% average salary increase.
After presentation and brief discussion, a board member moved to accept Option A as the budget request to the commissioners; the motion passed by voice vote. Dr. Fletcher said she will present the request to county commissioners and ask for matching funds if the General Assembly subsequently awards pay increases.
Dr. Fletcher also described district strategies to manage declines in state funding, including reliance on attrition rather than layoffs and scrubbing line‑by‑line budget items. She noted the district’s fund balance is roughly $3 million but warned that drawing on reserves to cover recurring shortfalls is unsustainable.
The board’s approval sends the Option A request to county officials; the superintendent said she will follow up with the county to request additional funds if the state approves raises for education employees.
