Van Buren Will Have To Increase School Budget To Meet State Guidelines

The Van Buren County Director of Schools told County Commissioners Tuesday night they will need to increase school spending by some $450,000 to meet new state education guidelines.

Cheryl Cope presented budget projections based on the new Tennessee education formula. Cope said the maintenance of effort number represents the local investment in education.

“Projected maintenance of effort is over one point five million dollars from the county,” Cope said. “When I looked last week, the part that the county contributes to us, the school system, is one million eighty-four thousand dollars.”

Cope said that she had talked to the previous commission and budget committee multiple times about these projections. Cope said she had asked for smaller amounts in past years. Paying those amounts then, Cope said, could have lessened the impact today.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with this but I wanted you guys to be aware that I have brought it to the commission the past two years and nothing was done with it,” Cope said. “No additional money given to the school system.”

Cope said increasing attendance numbers impacted the local investment.

“I have a meeting next week in Nashville that I will get to speak to one of the major finance people,” Cope said. “I’m hoping this will be done slowly and it won’t just hit in 2023.”

Cope’s projections are based on the new Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement formula enacted last year. It attempts to redefine how the state invests its dollars.