News Summary
Greenville County Schools may lose $8 million funding due to proposed reallocation of FILOT revenue to road projects, prompting concerns from the school board.
Greenville – Greenville County Schools (GCS) is facing a potential funding loss of $8 million due to a proposed budget change by the county council. This proposal suggests reallocating a significant portion of the fee in lieu of taxes (FILOT) fund, which traditionally supports the school district, to finance essential road improvements within the county.
Under the current financial arrangement, GCS receives 69% of FILOT revenue, amounting to an estimated $25.8 million for the fiscal year 2026. However, the county’s proposal would increase the share of FILOT revenue going to county road projects from 31% to 62%, severely limiting funds available for educational services. This potential shift has prompted the GCS Board of Trustees to unanimously pass a resolution urging the county council to reject the funding plan, citing its threat to the district’s budget for the upcoming year.
Concerns have been raised by GCS Superintendent Dr. Burke Royster regarding the uncertainty surrounding teacher pay raises amidst anticipated budget cuts. The Director of Media Relations for GCS, Tim Waller, noted that if the county’s budget is implemented, the school district may face difficulties in maintaining a balanced budget without raising local millage rates. This financial strain is compounded by other proposed changes at the state level, particularly those affecting public and charter school funding allocations.
Officials emphasize that the abrupt shift of funds could have long-term consequences, setting a precedent that undermines GCS’s financial stability. Furthermore, Board Chair Dr. Carolyn Styles criticized the rationale behind the county’s proposal, stressing that it devalues public education while leveraging GCS’s positive reputation to attract businesses to the area.
The proposed changes come in the wake of a failed penny sales tax initiative intended to funnel resources towards road improvements, highlighting the county’s urgent infrastructure needs. The shift in FILOT funding has drawn attention to an ongoing debate about the adequacy of school funding and has sparked discussions related to the school’s financial performance, with GCS ranking eighth in academic achievement while maintaining competitive administrative costs.
Should these changes be approved, GCS would struggle to accommodate personnel costs and continue existing educational programs. Additionally, the pressure from proposed state budget changes has raised alarms about further implications for GCS’s operations and service delivery. The introduction of House Bill 3645, which aimed to impose an unfunded mandate for extended parental leave, could also threaten the district with an additional $1.5 million financial burden; however, the bill did not advance.
As the GCS Board pursues an appeal to the county council, the region’s educational community continues to prepare for negotiations concerning school funding. District leaders are questioning the fairness of the current funding model and the misinterpretation of GCS’s performance metrics in relation to necessary financial resources.
The potential loss of revenues from FILOT reallocations poses a significant challenge not only for GCS but stands as an indicator of broader funding issues affecting the equitable distribution of educational resources across the county. Such challenges underscore the ongoing struggle between local governmental budget priorities and the imperative to uphold the quality of public education.
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Additional Resources
- Fox Carolina: Greenville County Schools Could Lose $8M Under County Budget Proposal
- Greenville Journal: School Board Pushes Back Against Funding Cut
- WYFF 4: State Funding Concerns for Greenville Schools
- Greenville Online: Greenville Schools Propose $1 Billion Budget
- Post and Courier: County Council Proposes Tax Shift to Roads
- Wikipedia: Greenville County, South Carolina
