Those looking to invest in Hamilton County education now have a road map of what items school board members would prioritize if the district were given more money.
As the Hamilton County school board worked to accommodate a budget deficit this spring, it passed a balanced budget that did not include some items, such as staff raises, that board members expressed wanting to fund. The list is meant to showcase what the board believes is important to fund if there was more money, school board member Ben Connor, D-Chattanooga, said.
It is also intended, he said, to give the Hamilton County Commission, Chattanooga City Council or other philanthropic organizations a starting point for what their one-time donations would fund.
“I don’t think that it is by any means being ungrateful because it is not something that we’re saying this is part of our budget,” Connor said. “We’re saying, specifically, this is a list of things that would really help us do our job better.”
(READ MORE: Hamilton County Schools, commission spar over budget process)