CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman City School Board on Monday approved its Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget. Following are details and highlights from the budget.
Note: some of the personnel unit numbers came out with decimal points and not as whole numbers. Where these occurred, units were rounded down to the lower whole number.
FY 2021 budget
The numbers here represent totals that are broken down in budget documents by fund type into General, Special Revenue, Debt Service, Capital Projects, Fiduciary Expendable Trust and Total (presented here).
Projected Revenues
State Revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $18,204,890.79
Federal Revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,406,562.86
Local Revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,234,011.00
Other Revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $293,427.00
Total Revenues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,138,891.65
Projected Expenditures
Instructional Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,926,605.01
Instructional Support Services . . . . . . . . $4,804,849.06
Operations and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . $3,041,614.02
Auxiliary Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,886,160.07
General Administrative Services . . . . . . . $1,647,673.71
Capital Outlay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $705,000.00
Debt Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,930,398.26
Other Expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1,552,987.72
Total Expenditures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35,495,287.85
Beginning Fund Balance, Oct. 1, 2020 . . $22,925,343.80
- General Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,963,150.00
- Special Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . $592,193.00
- Debt Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,100,000.00
- Capital Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,865,926.80
- Fiduciary Expendable Trust . . . . $404,074.00
Ending Fund Balance, Sep. 30, 2021 . . . $22,765,422.60
- General Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $7,500,216.11
- Special Revenue . . . . . . . . . . . . . $592,193.00
- Debt Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $2,303,012.69
- Capital Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11,965,926.80
- Fiduciary Expendable Trust . . . . $404,074.00
General information
Budget items include starting pay for:
- Teachers with a bachelor’s degree and no experience – $41,092
- Elementary school principals – $72,285
- Middle school principal – $75,014
- High school principal – $83,200
Average Teaching Experience of faculty: 13.84 years
Percent of Teachers with advanced degrees: 64.8%
Nationally Board-Certified Teachers: 31
System totals
Projected 2021 enrollment – 3,168
Personnel
- Teachers – 201
- Librarians – 5
- Counselors – 7
- Administrators – 15
- Non-Certified Support Personnel – 131
- 360 total
Cullman City Primary School
Projected 2021 enrollment – 467
Personnel
- Teachers – 36
- Librarian – 1
- Counselor – 1
- Administrator – 1
- Non-Certified Support Personnel – 21
- 60 total
Total foundation program budget – $2,805,468
Total budget – $4,530,908.66
East Elementary School
Projected 2021 enrollment – 602
Personnel
- Teachers – 35
- Librarian – 1
- Counselor – 1
- Administrators – 2
- Non-Certified Support Personnel – 15
- 54 total
Total foundation program budget – $2,875,703
Total budget – $4,075,490.19
West Elementary School
Projected 2021 enrollment – 598
Personnel
- Teachers – 40
- Librarian – 1
- Counselor – 1
- Administrators – 2
- Non-Certified Support Personnel – 19
- 64 total
Total foundation program budget – $2,901,952
Total budget – $4,720,538.06
Cullman Middle School
Projected 2021 enrollment – 522
Personnel
- Teachers – 29
- Librarian – 1
- Counselor – 1
- Administrator – 2
- Non-Certified Support Personnel – 15
- 49 total
Total foundation program budget – $2,358,756
Total budget – $4,421,317.94
Cullman High School
Projected 2021 enrollment – 979
Personnel
- Teachers – 57
- Librarian – 1
- Counselor – 3
- Administrators – 4
- Non-Certified Support Personnel – 24
- 89 total
Total foundation program budget – $4,505,250
Total budget – $8,825,539.95
Other (total budgets)
- CCBOE alternative school – $496,057.00
- Head Start – $1,270,055.86
The budget document offered this synopsis of the FY 2021 General Fund:
The General Fund is the primary operating fund of the school district. This fund includes the majority of state and local revenues and related expenditures, except for those required to be accounted for in a different fund type.
The primary source of state revenues is derived from the State of Alabama Education Trust Fund. The Alabama State Legislature approves the Education Trust Fund Budget each year. The State Education Trust Fund receives the majority its funding from sales and income tax, which are more susceptible to changes in economic conditions.
Cullman City Schools state allocations through the Foundation Program increased by $190,939 for FY2021 when compared to FY2020. This increase is attributed to a rise in state funded certified units equal to one and an increase of Other Current Expense by the Legislature. There was no state raise given by the Legislature for FY2021.
In order to receive funding from the State Education Trust Fund through the Foundation Program, all school systems must provide a 10.0 mill property tax equivalency match. Cullman City Schools match to participate in the Foundation Program is $3,413,518 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2021, a decrease of $6,761.
Budgeted revenues and other financing sources in the General Fund decreased by $493,718.06.16 for FY2021. This decrease is due to the net of increases and decreases in State Allocations and local revenues. While local revenues did increase for FY2021 the overall State Allocations decreased. The Advancement & Technology allocation went away for FY2021 which was a loss of $759,020. These funds may come back but this is unknown until the Legislature meets in the Spring. The increase in budget local revenue is derived primarily from the increase in sales tax appropriations and ad valorem. The City of Cullman appropriates one cent of sales tax to Cullman City Schools, which reflects $3.5 million in revenue for FY2021. Additionally, local revenue budgets increased slightly in county wide property and sales taxes that are shared with other county districts on the basis of enrollment. As Cullman’s student enrollment has increased relative to the county, so has its proportionate share of these revenues.
Budget General Fund expenditures and other fund uses increased by $99,142.94 for FY 2021 primarily in instructional services. The school district continues to transfer $100,000 to the capital projects fund for roofing needs and turf replacement. The $450,000 that was transferred to the building projects fund for building projects in previous years is now used as debt service on the $11.3 (million) bond issue that was issued in FY2020.
Budget over-expenditure planned and covered by previous year revenues
The General Fund synopsis continued:
The General Fund expenditures exceed revenues by $462,933.89 for FY2021 which was expected. The is due to the net of the following:
- State Transportation Fleet Renewal – $7,738,00
- Surplus in Local Fund Source – $234,328.11
- Advancement & Technology Funds Remaining ($705,000.00)
The Advancement & Technology Funds were received in previous years but will be expended in FY2021. Fleet Renewal funds are new for the district and will continue to rollover each year. The General Fund projected ending fund balance as of September 30, 2021 is $7,500,216. This represents 25% of expenditures and approximately 3.0 months of operations in the General Fund. Local boards of education are required by act of the Alabama State Legislature to develop a plan to establish and maintain a minimum reserve fund equal to one month’s operating expenses. The Board of Education has established a goal of a three-month operating reserve.
The Cullman City Schools FY 2021 budget documents are available online at https://bit.ly/33pLacI.
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