To provide up-to-date and transparent information about the district’s current financial condition, this is the May 30 Community Budget Update.
Current Year Budget
We have been meeting with Forsyth County leaders to work through ways to help us reduce our deficit. This week, the Board of Education voted to ask the County Commissioners to provide $32.1 million to reduce the deficit in our current year budget.
If the Commissioners are not in favor of that option, Superintendent Tricia McManus also suggested an alternative of WS/FCS further reducing what it spends in local funds over the next fiscal year to assist with paying back vendors over 12 months. That option would require the state to assist with the portion of the district’s current year deficit of state dollars.
County Commissioners discussed these options at a meeting Thursday. They didn’t make any formal decisions.
District staff will meet with state and county leaders next week for further discussions.
Next Year’s Budget
We are continuing to identify savings to balance our budget for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. After further conversations with staff, community members, and the Board of Education, the following $2.8 million in cost savings will move forward.
Approved Fiscal Year 25-26 Savings
To save utility costs, most buildings will be closed and staff will work from home one day a week during the summer. Other savings will be realized by turning off signage and outdoor lighting.
We will reduce supplemental electronic resources NWEA, Discovery Education, NewsELA, Science Techbook, Cengage, Turnitin.com, Lingco, Membean, iReady Diagnostic, Second Steps, Panorama, Wayfinder, and elementary supplemental funding for allotments to support Dreambox, iReady, Lexia Learning, and iXL.
All district cell phones will be eliminated.
Where enrollment is low, Pre-K classrooms will be reduced.
We will revise the rules for which teaching assistants get substitutes.
Floor waxing will be limited.
Out-of-state travel funded by local dollars will be eliminated.
All printers will be set to default to print in black and white.
Other cost-saving measures are still under consideration, including reducing bus transportation for choice schools, a potential reduction in months of employment for specific employee groups and other stakeholder recommendations.
Past Budget Updates