The Van Buren County School Board approved its 2025-2026 fiscal year school budget Wednesday night.
Director of Schools Katina Simmons said teachers will receive a $2,400 salary increase, and hourly staff will receive a $50 increase for each year they have worked for the school system. Simmons said the new budget will have a limited amount of project expenditures as the school system has completed several projects.
“$78,900 increase in the proposed budget for next year versus this previous year, and that’s just due to salaries,” Simmons said. “We’re not, me and Mrs. Cope have been through it multiple times, working on it, just trying to be smart with our money.”
With the budget now passed, Simmons said she believes the school system has a good budget headed into the next fiscal year.
“I feel like we have made sure that we were conscientious of the funds that we do have and making sure that those funds are spent primarily to support our students and our families where it needs to be spent,” Simmons said. “I feel like we are in good shape to do that and support our schools.”
Simmons became the full-time director of schools in March after former Director of Schools Jared Copeland resigned. Simmons said former Director of Schools Cheryl Cope was a big help going through the budget process for the first time.
“She was really great about teaching me the process of going through the first and foremost when you are doing a budget, is making sure your salaries are there for your folks who are employed by our school system,” Simmons said. “That’s our most important process because those are the folks who are educating the students and taking care of them, so that’s first and foremost the biggest thing is to make sure our salaries our met for our school.”
The school board approved the budget with a 5-0 vote.
In other business, the board approved a resolution for teachers to receive $2,000 bonuses from the Education Freedom Act.
The board approved the adjustment of the mileage rate to match the state mileage rate. Simmons said the mileage rate will increase from 66 cents per mile to 77 cents per mile.
The board tabled a decision to award a bid for purchasing a vehicle using the Healthcare Resiliency Grant. The board only received bids for SUVs. Board Member Barry Austin suggested the board look at trying to get a minivan, even if it meant the board had to provide more funds along with the grant to buy one.
The board awarded a bid for US Foods in Cookeville to provide food services. The board has to rebid food services every five years.
The board approved a disposal list for the Special Education Department. Simmons said the items on the list are items that the department has had for quite some time but do not get used.
The board approved separate overnight field trips for the fishing team and FFA.
