That figure reflects an increase of $2,241,651 over the current fiscal year operations budget of $9,587,507.

In his notes to the school board, Cartner said that the “continuing objectives of the Person County School [s]ystem are to ensure that students will acquire the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes consistent with their needs, interests and abilities” to communicate and compute effectively, reason effectively in making decisions, recognize learning as a lifelong process and “Respect honest labor and pride in a job well done and be prepared for gainful employment or participation in further training after high school graduation.”

Cartner said, “The challenge to adequately fund schools is present in every community across our state. As unfunded state requirements increase, local budgets are faced with deleting services or absorbing new and rising costs.”

Frequently, he stated in his notes to the board, “there is disagreement over what level of funding can be described as adequate. In this recommended budget, that definition is simple — a level of funding to provide success for every student. In Person County, every child is important and deserves to reach the high level of success within their capabilities.”

The superintendent said that over 800 school system employees “are actively engaged each day with over [5,500] successful students. These students are our future, and we have an opportunity, through this local funding request, to make a positive difference in our collective futures.”

Providing a safe learning environment focused on student achievement and employee recruitment and retention, Cartner said, “create the foundation for the 2008-2009 local budget request” of $11,829,158 for daily operations.

It was not immediately clear from his proposal presented Tuesday what Cartner would recommend the school board seek from the Person Board of County Commissioners, which allocated nearly $8.5 million for schools operations for the current fiscal year. Grants, interest and other revenues accounted for another almost $3.6 million of the 2007-08 local current expense budget. >>

In addition to the current expense budget, Cartner also proposed a capital appropriation of $891,100 to cover improvements at the Person High School stadium; new furniture for several schools; a radio repeater and heavy duty brake lathe for the transportation department; roof replacement at Earl Bradsher Preschool Center; an updated electrical system at South Elementary; and an upgrade to the fuel tank at Woodland Elementary to satisfy an EPA requirement.

Cartner cautioned the school board that his operating expense proposal was based on a projected 8.0 percent state-mandated salary increase.

“This is the governor’s last year,” Cartner said of Mike Easley, “and there are strong indicators that he is looking for at least 10 percent (increase) for salaries.”

Should that be the case, Cartner said he would have to go back to the budget and adjust for the added salary expense.

He also reminded the board that the school system had lost nearly 40 positions since July 1. The budget proposal asks for enough money to replace just four of those positions — two assistant principals and two media coordinators.

Cartner also hopes to get funding for lead teachers at all elementary schools except Woodland and North End, which would share a lead position. He said that, in talks with principals, he learned that “principals felt like lead teachers are very worthwhile” to school and student performance.

The superintendent’s spending proposal includes a one-half percent increase in the local salary supplement for teachers.

School board Chairman Gordon Powell said, during Tuesday’s regular March meeting, “Increases in expenses that we don’t have control over keep coming and also our use of fund balance” or savings, has led to a “critical and crucial” point in school system funding and “hopefully our officials will be aware of our needs.”

Powell added that, with the budget request, “we are addressing our future. It is our obligation to the county.”

The school board took no action other than receiving the budget proposal, which will later go on to county commissioners for use in formulating the county budget for next year.