School board holds hearing on proposed 2024-25 budget

On Thursday, the Vicksburg Warren School District (VWSD) Board of Trustees held a public hearing on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2024-25.

VWSD Chief Financial Officer Kathy Hughes prepared and presented information regarding the budget. Hughes reviewed the latest statistics on the population of Warren County of a total of 41,961 people. For the 2023-24 school year, the total student count was 6,819. There were 583 teachers and professional staff, 151 educational assistants and 34 in building administration. Approximately 58 percent of teachers have advanced degrees. The school district is the third largest employer in Warren County, with an annual payroll of $48.8 million.

Graduation rates have increased from 69.2 percent in 2015 to 91.4 percent in 2023, it was reported Thursday.

Some of the projects planned for 2024-25 include building multi-purpose rooms at Bovina Elementary, Warrenton Elementary, South Park Elementary and Redwood Elementary. Paving projects are scheduled, or are underway, for Army Navy Drive, Redwood and Vicksburg Junior High. Bathroom renovations for Vicksburg High School and a cottage renovation at River City Early College are planned.

Projected revenue for the upcoming year showed 37.9 percent of funding comes from the state of Mississippi. Local, or ad valorem taxes, account for 32.07 percent. Federal sources provide a total of 24.28 percent, with the remaining funding coming through Sixteenth Section income at .19 percent and other sources, 5.57 percent.

The traditional Mississippi Adequate Educational Program (MAEP) will be changed to the Mississippi Student Funding Formula (MSFF) in 2025 following the 2024 state legislative session. According to the Mississippi Professional Educators Association, in April, 2024, the state legislature changed the funding program formula.

The MSFF calculates school budgets based on the number of students enrolled, rather than on average daily attendance. This change will result in an increase to the VWSD budget for 2025. The formula is weighted to provide additional funding for students enrolled in the Special Education Department, English language learners, those designated as gifted students, low-income students and sparsely populated areas.

The new formula for funding puts more burden on local governments to contribute to school funding. As a result, ad valorem taxes may or may not increase, depending on the change in budgetary needs.

Currently, the budget is calculated using 55 mills. A mill, or millage, is an amount collected by local governments based on property taxes. Hughes provided a worksheet at the hearing that showed, based on the 2024 valuation from the tax assessor, one millage generates $642,554.584, for a total contribution to the school budget of  $35,340,502.