School Budget increase is 6.2% over last year

School budgeting in the time of Covid-19.: A virtual public meeting live streamed on Facebook.

The proposed FY21 budget for Botetourt County Public Schools is $63,314, 520.00 based on attendance of 4,505 students. The technology of a virtual meeting was a bit rocky. It started late, the white board was unreadable and at least five miles west of Fincastle, it buffered–a lot.

Good news: The Virtual budget public meeting was attended by a number of Facebook watchers making it likely one of the better attended school budget public hearings ever.

It was a great attempt by the school board to do a meeting in public without having to be present with the public in the time of a pandemic. If one thing was apparent to this reporter, we need better internet capabilities as soon as possible! In an area served by a satellite provider. The meeting buffered more than 50% of the time. Imagine school students doing work from home is difficult.

You can find the power point on the BCPS website under School Board Financial information:

https://www.bcps.k12.va.us/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=27428080

The increase is mostly for help on the aging building upkeep, teacher pay increases and added positions and student benefiting additions. Dr. Lisa Chen found over 1.2 million in savings during her first 100 days. She is optimistic in hopes the county fathers will agree to the 6.2% increase.

The composite index from the state is a whopping .3975. The state is adding funding in the increase of 953,784.00.

The school board passed the budget and then attended to some house duties.

The board agreed to a pass/fail grading for the year due to the current closure for the rest of the year among the biggest. For more information on the schools, Dr. Chen does a daily briefing.

The end of the powerpoint is the goal statemnet:

“Our future: To be a world-class forward-thinking school division. one that is the model of public schools in the future.”

The budget now goes on to the Board of Supervisors for approval.

–Cathy Benson