The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
School board disputes emerge over budget
Member calls for equity audit to identify underserved areas.
Line items and planned expenses in the proposed Gwinnett County Public Schools budget didn’t yield much pushback from school board members, but long-standing disputes emerged again in a tense disagreement over studying equity and the scope of the board’s influence.
District staff unveiled the budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1 in a board work session last week.
The budget totals about $3.2 billion, and the general fund, which pays for day-to-day operations, is proposed to be $2.5 billion, up from $2.4 billion in the current budget.
Member Tarece Johnson-Morgan repeated a request for an equity audit to identify areas where some schools or clusters may be underserved.
“If we can look at an audit to examine the different schools and what they have and what other schools don’t have, that’ll help us bridge some of those gaps,” she said. Last year, Johnson-Morgan voted against adopting the budget because she said her equity concerns were not addressed.
Board Vice Chair Karen Watkins and member Mary Kay Murphy pushed back on the audit,
with Watkins noting it would come with a price tag. Murphy has consistently stated the board should advise and ask questions, but leave the details of running the district to staff.
The back-and-forth between Johnson-Morgan and Watkins was tense, with both members interrupting each other and Superintendent Calvin Watts directing them to speak one at a time.
Watkins said the meeting was not the right place to speak granularly about how schools use their resources and that the budget proposal is based on input provided by principals. Johnson-Morgan said the budget should address specific needs, and that she wants to know more about those needs.
Under the new budget, the combined millage rate would remain flat at 20.65 mills, although higher assessed property values are expected to drive more revenue.
Teachers and certified employees would receive a raise of $500 on top of a $2,500 raise from the state. Other staff would receive a raise of at least 4%. All eligible employees would also receive a salary step increase.
Masana Mailliard, the district’s chief finance officer, highlighted new jobs focused on serving Gwinnett’s increasingly diverse population, such as multilingual learning coordinators, biliteracy specialists and translators. Other new positions would include behavioral coaches, instructional coaches, a literacy coordinator, social workers and special education staff, including in early learning.
Board Chair Steve Knudsen said he was concerned with the plan to move 10 early learning central office staff members into other departments, saying Play 2 Learn and community partnerships have been successful and improved kindergarten readiness.
Early learning “provides a multiplier throughout the next 12 years as kids come in more ready” for school, Knudsen said.
Deputy Superintendent Nikki Mouton said the district is committed to early learning, and that staff members being moved developed the program so that staff in schools can carry it out. Knudsen suggested using other funds to keep the early learning program staffed.
The budget will not be finalized until the board hears from the community at public hearings held before the board’s regular meetings May 16 and June 20. Board members will also have opportunities to give feedback and suggest changes. The final adoption vote is scheduled for June 20.