The Knox County school board has to go back to the drawing board on its new budget after the Knox County Commission pulled out $4 million to cover pay increases for other county employees.
The commission on June 16 voted to provide 6% raises to county employees, which was made possible by moving the funds from the budget Knox County Schools had already approved for fiscal year 2027. Commissioners suggested it come from the school district’s $71 million reserve fund, but that decision must be made by the school board itself.
Jennifer Hemmelgarn, a KCS assistant superintendent, told commissioners the district “will make it work” but the cut will likely force administrators to reconsider the staffing formula. Enrollment declines already forced the board to greenlight nearly 100 staff cuts in April, including 57 teachers and 27 district office employees…