DeKalb schools’ proposed budget has $27 million surplus

 

The DeKalb County School District will have a budgetary surplus in 2014.

That’s according to the proposed fiscal year 2014 budget released May 7.

The anticipated revenue is $759 million, up $27 million from previous predictions.

Interim school Superintendent Mike Thurmond said May 6 that the school district had found previously “undocumented” revenues.

The projected 2014 expenses are $732 million, leaving $27.25 million as the anticipated revenue surplus.

Some of the highlights of the budget include: cutting furlough days by one day; allocating $4 million to purchase textbooks and another $1.3 million to replace and repair missing or damaged textbooks; $1 million for the district’s Meritorious Attendance Program, an incentive program designed to reward bus drivers, food service, custodians and clerical employees who have low absences; and $250,000 to hire more bus mechanics.

The school board will hold a public hearing on the budget Wednesday, May 8, at 6 p.m. in the J. David Williamson Board Room, Robert R. Freeman Administrative & Instructional Complex, 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard, Stone Mountain.

To view the proposed budget online, go to http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/budget/index/planning.