Fiscal 2027 budget update presentation before Sumter school board Monday

A fiscal 2027 budget update from the district's chief financial officer, the opportunity for public input on the new budget and public participation will be before Sumter school board on Monday.

Additionally, discussion regarding a new facilities study and a new bus transportation routing system study also made Sumter School District's Board of Trustees' agenda, which was posted online by a district staff member on Friday. Board Chairman Shawn Ragin also spoke Friday concerning various agenda items.

The meeting is the school board's regularly scheduled meeting for the month of June.

The district's fiscal 2027 budget is more than $170 million and at first reading approval on May 4, it featured a projected $6 million gap between new expenditures and revenues.

District CFO Shatika Spearman will provide the budget update presentation to the full board, and it is expected that projected revenues and expenses will be more in line with each other through trimming various line items.

By state law, the district must provide a public input session annually on its new budget, and Monday's meeting will include that opportunity near the top of the agenda.

On Tuesday, district administration will present its fiscal 2027 budget to Sumter County Council for approval. The district has already said that it will not be seeking a millage (tax) request increase in the new fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The trustees will have a special-called meeting later in the month for second-reading approval on the new budget, Ragin said.

Regarding the two studies - facilities and school bus routing - that new Superintendent Gerald Gary and administration will have discussion on with the full board, both would be conducted by independent consultants, Ragin added.

Monday's meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the district office, 1345 Wilson Hall Road.

Regarding public participation, any member of the public wanting to make a comment on any topic to the board must arrive before the 6 p.m. start time - as early as 5:30 p.m. - and complete a form to speak.

For those not physically attending, the district continues to broadcast meetings live on YouTube.

Anyone wanting to attend the meeting virtually can do so via YouTube Sumter School District Board Meeting and the district's Facebook page, @SumterSCSchools.