The proposal reflects an increase of $1.6 million, or roughly 19 percent, over the county’s funding for the schools in the current fiscal year.

For the first time in years , the school board did no trimming of the superintendent’s proposed operating budget before sending it on to the Person Board of County Commissioners for consideration.

Gordon Powell, school board chairman, said during Thursday night’s regular April meeting, “This is not a progressive budget but one that maintains our current level of service to the children of Person County.”

The school board held a public hearing during its regular board meeting to allow the public a chance to speak regarding the budget proposal but no one came forth.

Upon the opening the hearing Thurday, Schools Supt. Dr. Larry W. Cartner said, “This budget represents what is needed for Person County Schools to be sustained during the 2008-09 school year.”

Cartner acknowledged the work of school board members who have met individually and in groups with members of the county commissioners in order to further understanding of the school system’s needs.

During a joint meeting of the two boards last November, Cartner offered commissioners and county management a presentation on school funding needs and goals.

Of the total school system budget, Cartner explained, 84 percent goes toward salaries and required benefits.

Having the best teachers translates into better-prepared students, Cartner said, calling it “the excellence factor.” >>

Teachers’ base salaries are the same statewide, Cartner said. “The difference is in what the local government can do. That is the local excellence factor” when it comes to having the best and most highly qualified teachers in the classroom.

He pointed out that the Person County system has 14 exceptional children’s teachers “in the local budget now.” Cartner reminded commissioners that it had been nationally documented that the rate of autism was increasing. More children need more specialized services, he said, and the school system is required by law to provide those services. Local dollars help do just that, he explained.

The school board has dealt with possible litigation due to the disbanding of a class for autistic children at the high school early in the school year.

If the school system does not gain additional funding, the superintendent told commissioners at the joint meeting last fall, the ratio of teachers to students would increase, due to the loss of teachers. Because of a deficit in funding, he said, the system was short 13 classroom teachers, an assistant principal, a school counselor, a speech therapist, a homebound teacher, an academically/intellectually gifted (AIG) teacher, technology funds, library books and materials and supplies.

The school board requested $10,293,026 for operating expenses during the current fiscal year, but county commissioners approved an allocation of $8,479,850, or less than half the increase sought by the school system.

Without more funds in the upcoming academic year, Cartner has said, five to seven more teachers would likely be cut at South, North, Helena and Stories Creek elementary schools as well as at Person High and Southern Middle School.

The budget proposal for the 2008-09 fiscal year must be in the hands of commissioners by May 15, Cartner said Thursday night.