City school board approves preliminary budget for next year

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Cleveland City School Board today approved a $35.4 million general fund budget for fiscal year 2008-2009, $1.5 million above the current budget.

City Schools Director Rick Denning said the proposed budget could change before the new fiscal year begins July 1 as funding becomes clearer.

“I’m sure you will be surprised we have more needs than money,” Dr. Denning quipped.

The school board adopted its budget early so it would be ready for the Cleveland City Council’s budget retreat April 2.

The spending plan includes a 5 percent raise school workers, at a cost of about $1.1 million .

“We are not going to continue to attract the high caliber of people we have if we don’t pay them,” Dr. Denning said.

Board members also expressed concerns about funding the special education program.

Bill Brown said the city program has a reputation as one of the best and therefore it attracts more families.

Special education supervisor Ione Carter said she has talked to two Hamilton County families who are moving here to enroll their autistic children in Lee University’s special program. The city school system pays the tuition.

Mrs. Carter said the number of severely handicapped children, who are the most expensive to care for, is increasing while the overall special education population has gone down.

“We need folks on the funding side (city and county government) to be talking to the Bob Corkers, Lamar Alexanders and Zach Wamps of the world about how this is impacting our local budgets,” Mr. Brown said.

See Friday’s Chattanooga Times Free Press for complete coverage.