Indya KINCANNON
2nd District School Board Representative
 

School Budget 2006-07

Below is an overview of our current year budget.  Our total operating budget is $332.2m.  This is an increase of 4% over last year's $320m budget.  

Teacher salaries are a big part of our budget.  I support differential pay for teachers, to reward excellence and also to address perennial shortages in areas such as math, science and special education.  I also support the need for more pay overall, to be competitive with surrounding school districts.  

Out of 136 school systems in Tennessee, Knox County ranks 37th in starting salary and 29th in average salary.  Most school systems in surrounding areas pay their teachers more, including Oak Ridge, Maryville, Alcoa, Blount County, Lenoir City, Roane County and Clinton.  Other large systems also pay their teachers more, including Chattanooga-Hamilton County, Nashville-Davidson County, Clarksville-Montgomery County, Memphis City and Shelby County.  To see how Knox County teacher salaries compare to surrounding school systems and to other large systems in Tennessee, click here.  

We spend $7,259, per student per year, which is 51st in the state of Tennessee.  The average in Tennessee is $7,469, and Tennessee ranks 45th in the USA in per pupil expenditures.  Money is not the answer to all our challenges in public education, but wise investment in education reaps great rewards for our children and communities.

 Here are some  2006-2007 budget highlights:

  • $5.3m for teacher raises

  • 3% salary increase for non-certified employees

  • $975k to cover 100% of the increase in health insurance premiums

  • $3.5m for step increases for all staff, certified and non-certified

  • $50k to fund a full-time grant writer (our first)

  • $800k for a pilot program for foreign language in elementary schools

  • $600k for a tech support person for each of our 12 high schools

  • 84% of our budget goes towards salaries and benefits.  Education is a people business!

I find charts the most helpful way to understand the budget so I posted some below.  If you want more detail, go to the KCS website.  If you have any questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them or find someone who can.

   

 Revenues 

 % 
 County Property Taxes  29.04%
 Local Option Sales Tax  30.03%
 Wheel Taxes  0.45%
 Marriage Licenses  0.01%
 Charges for Current Services  0.22%
 Other Local Revenues  0.54%
 State BEP  36.82%
 Other State Revenues  1.73%
 Federal ROTC Reimbursement  0.13%
 Operating Transfers  0.08%
 Fund Balance Appropriations  0.95%
  100.00%

 

Definitions

1) Instruction/Student Support includes regular instruction, special education,
vocational, office of principal, student support, instructional support,
health services, attendance, etc.

2) Operations/Maintenance includes operation of plant, security, maintenance
of plant, warehouse, PBA maintenance, custodial, utilities, facilities
department, etc.

3) Student transportation includes contracted services, special education
transportation, and all other transportation costs

4) Debt and Other includes subsidy for debt service, Trustee commission,
workers compensation premiums, liability claims, audit services, etc.

5) Administrative includes office of Superintendent, board costs, fiscal services,
human resource department, public affairs, and miscellaneous other
administration

6) Technology includes instructional technology, information technology, and
matching E-Rate funds. 

 

Home   Volunteer   Meetings  Email Updates Contact Indya  Links