Dr. Martin RingstaffCLEVELAND, Tenn. — The 2015-16 budget for Cleveland City Schools includes a 2 percent raise for all employees, plus step increases for qualifying employees.
The city school board voted 6-0 on Wednesday to approve the $41.9 million budget, which will go into effect July 1. It includes two teaching positions and puts money toward the school system’s digital conversion plan and Teacher Leader program.
Board member Dawn Robinson praised the comprehensive approach to boosting salaries for all employees.
“It’s about teamwork,” she said. “We’re all important.”
Cleveland City Schools employs just over 800 people, including 423 teachers, business manager Brenda Carson said.
Tennessee’s Basic Education Program is projected to provide $544,000 for the salary increases, according to the budget. The state faces lawsuits from a half-dozen or so area districts over its BEP funding formula, with districts large and small claiming the money they receive isn’t enough. But the fact that it designates funding for salary increases “is not a challenged topic in Nashville right now,” said Dr. Martin Ringstaff, director of Cleveland City Schools.
The 2015-16 budget is $971,332 more than the 2014-15 budget, or 2.37 percent, Ringstaff said. He said only about 3 percent of the budget is available for discretionary allocations.
“Most of [the budget] is spoken for before July 1 for salaries, benefits, technology — all the things we have to do,” said Ringstaff.
Salaries and benefits account for nearly 82 percent, followed by textbooks, supplies and maintenance, which account for 10.8 percent, according to the 2015-16 budget proposal. Utilities and janitorial services make up nearly 5 percent of the proposal.
State money provides just over $25.5 million to Cleveland City Schools, which is more than 60 percent of the district’s 2015-16 budget. Revenue from property and sales taxes will generate $10.6 million, up about $277,000, and the city of Cleveland will provide another $5.8 million, the same as last year.
The city also is paying for the new gym at Cleveland High School as well as demolition of the old Raider Dome, said Ringstaff. That amounts to $11 million total.
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.