The Jackson County School Board conflicted Thursday night on how much of a state bonus for school system performance should go to employees.
The system received $500,000 from the state based on having more than 50 percent of its schools finish with an “A” grade. Jackson County Director of Schools Jason Hardy said employee bonuses are one option.
“You can do $500,000 in salaries, everybody is gonna feel better because they got a little more money this year,” Hardy said. “But then you are trying to go teach without some of the resources that you have when we have had millions of dollars coming from the federal government in the last few years and it’s just not there its gonna make it tougher.”
The board decided to table the decision and will revisit the discussion in May.
Board Member Ron Eldridge said his gut reaction is to give a bonus to all employees, but give a little more to the employees in the two schools that received “A” letter grades, Dodson Branch Elementary and Gainesboro Elementary.
“I look at this just like if we went out to eat and I’m paying the tip,” Eldridge said. “If we had three different servers, four different servers, two of them did a great job and two of them did a good job, and the two that did a great job, I want to pay them a little more.”
Board Member Mark Brown said he believes in giving everyone the same bonus.
“I’m gonna be equal,” Brown said. “I’m not gonna get into all of this, I’m gonna give you this much and you that much. In my opinion, I like to be equal.”
Brown said the board needs to be mindful of how it disperses the funds, as the school district may need some of the funds in a few years. Brown said the school district will be losing funding as the school system’s enrollment continues to decline.
“As this goes along and years progress and the next year, and the year, and the year, our budget is gonna get in worse and worse and worse shape,” Brown said. “It’s coming, it’s coming quick too.”
Hardy said the $2,000 teacher bonuses the state included in the Education Freedom Act are separate from the letter grade funding.
Hardy said the funds will be in the current fiscal year budget and said he would not recommend the board get into June without having a decision made.
In other business, the board approved new K-12 science textbooks.
The board approved an overnight trip for the Jackson County High School Girls and Boys Basketball teams to go to Orlando from Dec. 16-21, 2025.
The board approved the summer school calendar.
