It could be August before the Monroe County School System has enough information for the School Board to pass a budget for the 2010-11 school year, Director of Schools Mike Lowy told the board during a budget workshop Thursday.

The School Board met in an hour-long workshop before the regular March board meeting. Lowry said local revenue from sales tax and property taxes are down, making the budget tight.
The bulk of funding for county schools comes from the state's Basic Education Program and a few months ago, major cuts were projected in state funding before Gov. Phil Bredesen put the money back in his proposed education budget.

"So far, all of the major cuts I was told about in November were restored in January," Lowry said.
But even if the money for education remains in the budget the General Assembly will pass later this spring, there are many demands on the school system's budget.
Mandatory retirement increases and step pay increases for teachers as they advance in experience will cost more than $635,000.

The School Board's Transportation Committee has asked the full School Board to consider raising the mileage-fuel scale and seat rate on the new contract with bus contractors.
Those measures would cost around $39,000 if approved, but could be offset by $10,000 in savings if bus routes are altered in the Tellico Plains and Coker Creek area to make winter busing easier.
A proposal to put principals on 12-month contracts instead of 11 months would cost more than $73,000 if approved.

A proposal to give professional (teachers) and non-professional (other staff) 1 percent raises on the local portion of their salaries would cost almost $70,000.
"If there is any way, I'd like to do something," Lowry said of raises on the local salary.

tommy.millsaps@advocateanddemocrat.com | 33-7101