At its first of two budget hearings, the Selma City School Board of Education heard the outlines of the proposed 2019-2020 fiscal year budget from Chief School Financial Officer (CSFO) Grindal Harris, Federal Programs and Strategic Planning Director Rafael Simmons and Director of Special Education, Courtney Utsey about the budgeted funds from federal and state sources.

Title I funding has increased from last fiscal year, according to Simmons with $2,628,811 being received in fiscal year 2019 and $3,178,458 being received for the 2020 fiscal year.

That is a $549,647 difference.

This year, Simmons presented that $1,508,062.20 of that $3,178,458 was set aside for various line items including $206,411 for administrative, $42,000 for indirect costs, $200,085 for regular PD, $31,784.58 for parent involvement, $37,215 for a homeless facilitator, $79,798 for a parent facilitator, $491,806.62 for STEAM and academies and $157,709 for Pre-K.

Simmons said Title II funding is now $232,257, Title V-B is $63,791 and Title IV, Part A is at $189,171. Simmons added that a focus this fiscal year would be for dual enrollment.

Utsey presented what funding the school system would receive for Special Education from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that requires states to provide children with special education services as a condition of receiving funds.

A total of $863,6084 has been earned by the district.

$172,283 will be given to administrative costs, $607,957 to personnel, $17,800 to purchased services such as maintenance, $12,068 for materials and supplies, $30,000 for an occupational therapist and physical therapist.

From Preschool Part B the district will receive $39,105 with $38,357 going to pay towards salary and benefits, $158 for supplies and $500 for indirect costs.

In other state sources with the $17,167,073 included from the Foundation mentioned in the first article in this series, the district has budgeted a total of $19,796,162 in state revenue, which is a $357,343.17 decrease from the 2019 fiscal year.

The school nurse fund dropped from $162,934 to $160,581; the tech coordinator fund increased in funds from $55,939 last fiscal year to $61,800 to this upcoming fiscal year; career tech fund increased from $28,131 to $29,758; the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) decreased from $367,166 this past fiscal year to $317,286; English as a second language (ESL) increased from $317 to $426; gifted education increased from $10,305 to $11,608; the transportation fund decreased from $220,159 to $209,840; fleet renewal increased from $21,327 to $41,630; the at risk fund decreased from $118,129 to $110,409; preschool increased from $4,612 to $16,608; the Office of School Readiness (OSR) increased from $625,659 to $800,064; permanent school funding (PSF) decreased from $897,867 to $849,079 and National Board Certified decreased from $25,000 to $20,000.

Total federal sources of income, that include Title I, IDEA and Preschool funding, increased from $6,708,027 to $6,956,409.

Local sources decreased from $5,818,513.23 to $5,496,570.

County Ad Valorem increased from $1,450,000 to $1,425,000, Alcohol Beverage Tax collections increased from $75,000 to $80,000, the Tobacco Tax decreased from $30,000 to $25,000 and the County Sales Tax decreased from $880,000 to $805,000. The only tax collection to remain the same was Business Privilege Tax at $36,000.