Fulton County Schools cutting budget by $95 million to avoid ‘financial ruin’

Key Points FCS Superintendent Mike Looney announced the district s financial house is in order but up to million requirements to be cut from expenses North Springs High attendee Treasure Omorodion shared lessons of a school district core value integrity North Springs High apprentice Treasure Omorodion shares lessons on integrity one of Fulton County Schools core values during the State of the Schools presentation Photo by Bob Pepalis Fulton County Schools Superintendent Mike Looney announced the school district demands to cut expenses by million over the next four to five years or face financial ruin Looney gave his description during the annual FCS State of the Schools presentation held Oct at the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center s Byers Theatre He revealed the school district s financial house is in order but it faces lower trainee enrollment the increased cost of doing business and an increasing amount of property tax revenue going to the state as its Local Fair Share We have increased costs lower revenue coming in and if we didn t do anything about it if we just put our heads in the sand and ignored it then yes we would be in financial ruin in four or five years Looney reported Related Stories North Springs educators to strategize after SAT scores drop North Springs and Riverwood boast high graduation rates in Georgia Fulton County Schools shows aspirant achievement increases FCS Board of Learning Chair Kristin McKabe communicated Rough Draft Atlanta that the school district s local fair share has been designated as mills worth of property taxes That s approximately million going to help rural school districts McKabe announced the state calculates based on property tax assessments The state doesn t use homestead and other exemptions in making its calculations McKabe explained the federal cabinet promises to give FCS percent of what it necessities for special instruction funding but it only provides percent The school district spends approximately million from its general fund for special schooling FCS Superintendent Mike Looney took part in the State of the Schools event with Board of Instruction members Kimberly Dove Lillie Pozatek Franchesca Warren Kristin McCabe Katie Gregory Michelle Morancie and Sara Gillespie Photo by Bob Pepalis Looney explained the district manages its financial pressures using strategic budgeting in its GLIDE Increase Opportunities Lean Operations Capital in Innovation Diversify Revenue and Enhance Efficiency operation Looney declared FCS will continue to promotion learner achievement as it cuts expenses Chief Academic Officer Brannon Gaskins shared the system s academic achievements FCS had a percent graduation rate last year The graduate rate was percent The participation rate for the SAT and ACT increased with average scores rising Gaskins reported the district also saw a percent decrease in out-of-school suspesions Students joined FCS administrative staff and the Fulton County Schools Professor of the Year Natalie Meiguez in making the State of the Schools presentation Those students included Treasure Omorodion a senior attendee at North Springs High School who spoke about the core values of teamwork integrity and accountability Omorodion addressed integrity She described the audience to ask themselves if they were being true to themselves and others who depend on them She reported maintaining integrity means acting according to their values Omorodion commented an overlooked aspect of integrity is the powerful impact one person can make She shared the story of a mission trip she made this summer with her church Birmingham United Methodist to Hazard KY The group worked with the Appalachian Institution Project to provide housing for people whose lives were deeply affected by natural disasters The group slept on air mattresses in a middle school had cold showers and spent long hours at the work site On their last day Omorodion met the future homeowner who shared the story of how the flood had taken her husband s life ruined their home and forced the family to live in a cramped trailer Her strength moved Omorodion Earlier in that week I had imagined a better climate a brighter renewed neighborhood but that day I imagined a better me I worked harder than ever not just to finish the house but to restore hope where it had been lost Omorodion commented I left Appalachia with a lesson that will stay with me forever to be the change I want to see The post Fulton County Schools cutting budget by million to avoid financial ruin appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta