Lafayette County School Board to Vote on $28M Budget Monday

By Alyssa Schnugg
Staff writer
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

The number of students going to school each day can have a direct impact on a school’s budget.

For Lafayette County, the increase of its average daily attendance provided a $573,411 increase of Mississippi Adequate Education Program funds. 

School officials said the increase would have been higher if the flu did not hit the district during the measurement period.
The Lafayette County School Board will be voting on its 2018-2019 budget Monday during its regular meeting Monday evening.
The total budget is $28,869,957 with 52 percent of the district’s revenue coming from state funding like MAEP, 39 percent comes from local sources, like ad valorem, cafeteria sales and fundraisers. Nine percent comes from federal sources.
More than $16 million is spent on instruction – salaries, supplies and all expenses related to educating students. About $9 million is spent on support services – guidance, staff improvement, administration, building and grounds and transportation. About $1.1 million goes toward the operation of the cafeteria and $2 million is spent on the district’s facilities.
The budget reflects a $190,918 increase in expenditures above revenue for operating expenses and a $61,930 increase in revenue above expenses for debt retirement.
Additional expenses this coming year includes six additional teaching positions, which cost about $315,000; and increase in the cost of health insurance for the district of about $45,000 and the addition of three modular units.
The district will also be replacing the HVAC unit for the middle school gym.

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