School board adopts modified FY27 budget plan, approves 4% raises for principals and a compliance coordinator

The Cherokee County School Board approved a modified first reading of its fiscal 2027 general fund budget after an executive session, adopting a districtwide 3% pay increase for most staff and a 4% increase for principals and assistant principals. The board also approved funding for a single compliance coordinator position in student services while deferring the director-of-finance and director of community and employee relations posts.

Administration presented the budget during the meeting’s first reading, saying software configuration errors had undercounted fringe benefits and that a newly added substitute-teacher line totalled $1.2 million. "Scenario one is a 3% salary raise across the board for all employees," said Mr. Pettit during the presentation, which also included the district’s projected FY27 revenue of $105,442,569.

Board members questioned the distribution of raises and the need for the three deliberated administrative positions. Finance staff described the director-of-finance role as focused on grant management and districtwide training aimed at reducing ineligible grant expenditures. "It could pay for itself," Dr. Fitzpatrick said, arguing that better grant oversight could reduce transfers from federal and state grants to the general fund.

After taking the matter into executive session to discuss personnel and budget details, the board returned and passed a motion to adopt scenario two — 3% across the board with a 4% increase for principals and assistant principals — and to fund only the compliance coordinator of the three proposed positions. The motions carried unanimously.

The administration framed the use of available fund balance and one-time revenue events as temporary measures while awaiting the next property reassessment and the state budget outcome. Finance staff said an unusually large delinquent-tax settlement this year improved fund balance but cautioned the board to plan for post-reassessment adjustments.

The board’s action advances the budget to final reading and gives administration direction on staffing and salary structure for FY27. Next steps include final budget adoption at the scheduled June meeting and implementation work on the approved compliance position.