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McKENZIE (June 16) — Members of the McKenzie Special School District (MSSD) Board of Education approved the 2020-21 fiscal year budget but not the tax rate during their June 16 meeting. Also, the board honored three retiring teachers for their service. They were Lee Ann Coleman, Anna Holland and Marcia Webb.
Lynn Watkins, director of schools, said the $11.7 million budget will fund with a tax rate of $1.227 per $100 assessed value. That is equivalent to the same rate as 1997 when it was last changed. The county of Carroll underwent a property value reappraisal this year and the final certified tax rate is not yet released by the state. The board did not adopt the tax rate on June 16 because the state has not yet released the certified rate. The school anticipates no increase in the property tax rate.
The budget has an estimated $300,670 deficit, which Watkins said he “hopes not to hit quite so hard,” meaning he hopes the school system has less deficit than estimated.
McKenzie Special School District’s financing bonds retire in the 2021-22 fiscal year, leaving the district free of debt. The 2020-21 budget includes a $866,000 principal and interest payment on the bonds.
MSSD continues with its trend of fewer students each year, causing an attentive reduction in state funding based on average daily membership (student attendance).
While the number of students continue to decline, the school system is attempting to maintain to retain certified teachers. The average ratio of students to teachers is 13 to 1. A beginning teacher earns $39,115 plus benefits and can reach a maximum salary of $48,675 after 20 years, with a bachelor’s degree. Teachers with advanced degrees earn more. The budget includes a local two-percent raise plus a $1,000 bonus for all school personnel. The two-percent raise costs the system $129,000 and the $1,000 bonus costs $132,000.
The budget is allocated as follows: General Purpose Fund, $9,271,557; Federal Projects $1,045,628; Central Cafeteria, $805,141; Education Debt Service Fund, $879,318.
The school, as most schools in Tennessee, faces uncertainty of whether or not the schools will open as traditional on-campus education facilities in August or possibly later. The schools could open as an online school, all depending on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic. MSSD is receiving federal funds to help with retraining teachers and to launch the online teaching of students. The funds would help purchase needed equipment to provide for each student. If in-person classes resume, the school will use the federal funds for intervention training. Newly retired teacher Marcia Webb was hired for a two-year contract to help students catch up at the elementary school.
Anticipated personnel at MSSD for the year 2020-21 include: