The Campbell County Board of Education approved its tentative budget and a 6% salary increase among all staff.
The tentative 2024-2025 general fund budget is $55.7 million, and the total budget is $79 million, which includes the general fund, special revenue of $6.5 million, capital outlay of $481,000, building fund of $5.4 million, debt service of $5.1 million and food service of $5.9 million. The budget has a 9.8% contingency.
“To say that I am excited is an understatement,” Campbell County Schools Superintendent Shelli Wilson said. “I’m thrilled to present this tentative budget to you. What we have before you is a lot of hard work.”
$1.4 million is set aside for staff salary increases or a 6% salary increase for all employees. The budget has an additional $140,000 to compensate employees who provide extended opportunities for students.
“Thank you (Wilson) and the rest of your staff for working on this,” Campbell County Board of Education member Josh Perkins said. “We need to continue the investment in the staff that we’ve done the past few years. I personally feel a lot better at the contingency rate at 9.8% than we have been prior while at the same time continuing to invest in our staff.”
In addition, the school district is offering all employees a new tax-sheltered savings match. The match will provide $15 per paycheck, equating to $360 invested by the district per year, to help employees save for the future. According to the district, it is one of the first school districts to make this commitment to its staff, as this is a practice not often offered in the education field.
“A lot of hard work, and thank you to the administration who worked hard to get the raise this year,” Campbell County Board of Education member Peggy Schultz said. “I think we’re on the right track.”
The district is also offering a continued education stipend. All staff (excluding the superintendent) who have obtained a doctorate pertaining to their role will receive a $3,000 stipend.
“This is a very positive budget for our entire district and staff, showing the continued investment in the staff of the school district by continuing to keep our salaries competitive,” Campbell County Board of Education Chair Kimber Fender said. “We’re glad to have that.”
