June 3, 2015 Edition

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SAT Question of the Day

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Greenville County Schools 2015 Progress Report

Greenville County Schools has published its 2015 Progress Report, summarizing the many accomplishments in each of the five goal areas of the Strategic Education Plan. Click here to see the complete report: http://goo.gl/d1d98B.

Unofficial Board Meeting Summary
June 2, 2015

Board Members Present (12): Lisa Wells, Chairman; Dr. Crystal Ball O'Connor, Vice Chairman; Debi Bush, Secretary; Kenneth E. Baxter, Sr., Joy Grayson, Lynda Leventis-Wells, Derek Lewis, Roger Meek, Glenda Morrison-Fair, Danna Rohleder, Chuck Saylors, Pat Sudduth. Absent (0): None.

FY16 General Fund Budget - The FY 16 General Fund (GF) Budget was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees. The GF Budget funds an additional $12.1 million in State mandates (40.5% of Budget increase) and $18.2 million in Local required expenses for student growth, salary increases, and other needs.

• About 87% of the GF Budget pays for people: teachers, principals and other employees.
• Beginning with FY10, inflation has increased 10%, state mandates by 13%, and student growth by 7% while State and Local revenues have increased by 16%.
• The State Base Student Cost (BSC) increased $100 to $2,220, $581 less than full funding of $2,801. GCS, which serves a wealthy area based on property tax values, receives funding at a lower BSC of $1,624.
• As provided by State law (Act 388), GCS qualifies for a local tax increase of up to 10.3 mills, including 5.8 mills not used in previous years. Local tax millage for GF Budget will increase by 4.5 mills (3.3 percent) for expenses related to inflation and population growth. Owner-occupied homes are NOT taxed for the GF Budget. Examples of the 4.5-mill tax increase are: Car with Tax Value of $1,583 (2004 Ford Taurus, year and make of one of nation's most popular vehicles) - 40 cents a year or .001 cents a day; Business with Tax Value of $316,040 - $85.33 a year or 24 cents a day.