4 days ago
Marlboro County School District looks for solutions to $6.8 million budget shortfall
MARLBORO COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — The Marlboro County School District is dealing with a loss of millions of dollars of federal funds that could lead officials to close and consolidate some schools, an official told News13.
School Board Chairman Michael Coachman said cuts to federal Title I, Title II, and Title V programs left the district with a $6.8 million shortfall. As a result, just before spring break, board members asked Superintendent Helena Tiller to look at possible solutions.
The Title I program provides financial assistance to support low-achieving students, especially those in high-poverty schools; Title II programs aim to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of teachers, principals, and other school leaders; and Title V programs give states and districts more flexibility to target federal funds to programs and activities that most effectively address the unique needs of states and localities.
'We asked her to come up with some options, and she brought the options back to us to look at and for us to choose from,' Coachman said.
They were presented to board members at a lengthy meeting Monday night, but no decision was made.
Option A would cut assistant principals, bookkeepers and receptionists from 240 days to 220 days, elementary and middle-school guidance counselors from 240 days to 210 days. In addition, 14 positions would be allocated from federal funds instead of the district's general fund, saving the district $1.5 million.
Option B would include the staff reductions as Option A, but also include the consolidation of Bennettsville Intermediate School and Clio Elementary.
Option C would include the same staff cuts as Options A and B, but would consolidate schools to include: McColl Primary School, grades pre-K-2; Blenheim Elementary, grades 3-5; Wallace Middle School, grades 6-8; and Marlboro High School, grades 9-12. Option C also would include savings from employee attrition and other school and division budget cuts.
Board members heard concerns from parents at Monday night's meeting.
'The concerns of the parents in the Wallace area and McColl area, not to lose their middle school and consolidate, and moving their children all around the district, and some parents having multiple children at multiple schools, so we understand that,' Coachman said on Tuesday. 'We are taking all of that into consideration, and we are listening to them, and it's not falling on deaf ears. That's why the decision was so tough on us last night.'The school board will meet again on Monday to try to develop a budget plan ahead of the June 30 deadline to approve a balanced budget.
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Eric Cooper is a multimedia journalist at News13. He joined the team in September 2024 and covers stories in the Pee Dee. He is a native of Cades in Williamsburg County and a proud graduate of Kingstree Senior High School and Benedict College. You can read more of his work here.
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