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Board delays change to school‑resource‑officer funding as grant remains pending
Summary
Superintendent Perkins told the board the Center for Safer Schools grant had not yet been released; the board agreed to postpone a previously planned funding formula change for one year and maintain current SRO coverage while counties and municipalities continue planning.
Rockingham County Schools’ board on July 12 voted to postpone changes to the school‑resource‑officer (SRO) funding formula for one year after the Center for Safer Schools grant had not been released.
Superintendent Dr. Perkins told trustees that after prior discussions and a June presentation by district staff, the district had approved a proposal that would have adjusted the funding split but now recommends holding the current arrangement for one year. "We are just recommending that we postpone that for one year," Perkins said, adding that the district would continue to cover 83% and ask municipalities to cover 17% for the year to give local governments time to respond.
Perkins told the board the district’s current plan is to proceed with the SROs presented in June and to apply for the grant when it is available; if the award is not released or if the district does not win the grant, staff would return with options and costs for maintaining or changing coverage. Board members urged careful comparisons with neighboring counties and additional analysis of how the formula should apply: one trustee asked that the board investigate applying percentages to salary only rather than to salary plus benefits.
The motion to postpone the funding change and retain the current coverage plan for a year passed on a voice vote with no opposition recorded.
