The law which allowed Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax for schools states that the money may only be used for capital projects. We can't use the money for personnel. To receive money for personnel from the State, school systems in Georgia have two student counts each year - one in October and another in March. Based on the number of students we report, we receive state money. This money accounts for about 65% of the total Muscogee County School System budget. We receive about 8% from the federal government and the rest is local property taxes.
The money flows AFTER the students arrive and AFTER the counts are taken; therefore, local tax dollars pay for the additional teachers, supplies, textbooks, etc. until we get the State money which comes to us about a year after the student actually gets here. There is a formula outlined in State law for calculating how much money the system receives for each child. We receive more money for students with disabilities, more for a kindergarten student than a regular high school student. It is a complicated and imperfect system which has not ever been fully funded be the State.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
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This blog was interesting, I had always wondered how the school district received its money. I just finished taking the GACE Leadership test and this blog was the answer to one of my questions. Welcome to MCSD Dr. Andrews, however, we do miss you in Harris County.
ReplyDeleteMy child's science classes need a great deal of science equipment. Can the SPLOST fund this?
ReplyDeleteThe SPLOST cannot fund classroom supplies and equipment. That would come from the regular instructional budget. SPLOST funds can be used to furnish science labs with lab tables, vent hoods, and other items that are critical for some experiments to be safe for students to perform. I regret that your child's classroom needs equipment. Is it an elementary, middle, or high school? Better than that, which school is it. I will check on the availability of science supplies for that school.
ReplyDeleteIf you need this SPLOST money now, how have you been making your budget each and every year? Why the sudden need for an increase in our sales tax? What have you been doing with the money you've been getting? Our property taxes have been going up every single year and I've lived here since 2000! If you are only getting 17% from property taxes, why hasn't that been enough? Does the state need to budget more money for you or do you need a better accountant?
ReplyDeleteSPLOST money can be used for Capital Projects: new buildings, renovations, additions, large purchases of technology, buses, land, and other large expenses that are "permanent." It cannot be used for personnel, materials and supplies, textbooks, professional learning, food service, media books, and all of those other things that go along with having school. The money we get from property taxes pays for all of those things I just mentioned and the State money has been cut, cut, cut, since 2002. The total amount of the cuts for Muscogee county adds up to about $32million dollars since 2002. We can't take full advantage of the growing tax digest because of the freeze on property taxes that is in effect in Muscogee County, so . . . you're right, we have to ask for more money. Our diesel fuel, our electricity costs, textbooks, etc. continue to go up in price just as yours do as an individual. The school system gets only a small break in these costs - not nearly what you would think. It just takes a lot of money to educate $33,000 students! But, THEY ARE WORTH IT!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question about the school: I don't want to get any faculty in trouble for having said something, but it is a high school. Let me also add: (for example) if the school gets 3000 for science supplies, but has to pay for duplication of materials, computer cartridges, etc. out of that and are left with whatever THAT might be for supplies, and if you have say, 400 kids taking biology, how can you pay for specimens (for instance) out of that?
ReplyDelete