(Danville) — Danville School leaders have signed off on next year’s budget. The School Board Thursday unanimously approved the 106 million dollar budget.
Finance Director Doctor Andrea Gillus says they had to sweat out state funding totals. “Initially we were expecting a one-percent bonus funded by the state, but the General Assembly changed that to a three-percent salary increase,” Gillus told the School Board. “
The budget is six-and-a-half million dollars more than the current one. As usual, most of the money goes for salaries and benefits. “If you add those two items up, they account for 78% of our expenditures,” Gillus said. “We are in the people business, so most of our budget goes towards people.”
In terms of spending categories, about three-fourths of next year’s city school budget will be spent on instructional services.
The budget also includes two-and-a-half million dollar increase in local funding from Danville City Council. That will allow the school system to continue all current initiatives. It also adds funding for security staff at elementary schools and bus monitors. There’s also extra money to expand the schools’ Early College partnership with Danville Community College.