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The Covington County Board of Education approved a $33.7 million dollar budget for the 2020 fiscal year, Tuesday night.

The budget includes:

• $21.7 million in state funds (64 percent,) a $1.5 million increase from last year.
• $3.1 million in federal funds (9 percent,) a $120,000 decrease from last year.
• $8.6 million in local funds (26 percent,) a $100,000 increase from last year.
• $194,781.13 in other allocations (1 percent,) a $3,631 increase from last year.

State funding for teachers is based on the average daily attendance, or enrollment. Covington County Schools’ enrollment was down 100 students in the 2017-2018 school year, which affected funding for the 2018-19 year, but this year the enrollment went up to 2,962, a 4.85 increase from FY19.

“Our enrollment is up from last year, which is always good,” Superintendent Shannon Driver said. “Today starts the 20 days that the state calculates the projected enrollment for next year, so hopefully we will see another increase, but it fluctuates.”

The system has 404 employees, five more than last year, 347.03 of whom are funded with state monies; 50.86 of whom are funded by federal dollars; and 6.11 of whom are funded with local tax dollars.

The budgeted expenditures also include $435,987.32 in debt service, a slight increase from last year’s $437,637.

The board also:

• Nominated James T. Prestwood to be an AASB All State School Board Member.
• Accepted the resignation of Robin McNeill as lunchroom worker at Red Level High School.
• Hired Kerri Laine Lee as a lunchroom worker at Red Level High School.
• Rescinded the hiring of Brandon Schylar Avant as general social science teacher/defensive coordinator at Straughn High School.