By John Howell

North Panola school trustees meeting Tuesday, June 24 adopted a $15.8 million budget for the 2014-2015 school year. 

The meeting was historic, marking the transition of the district back to local control.

It was the final meeting for state conservator Bob King and the first for newly-hired district superintendent Cedric Richardson.

“I appreciate the support I received since I’ve been in the North Panola community,” King said. “I found a group of people that were receptive to improving the school district,” he added.

“I’m excited the potential I see for the North Panola School District,” King said, expressing his appreciation to the newly-elected board of trustees, district administrative officials, faculty and school patrons.

King said he commended trustees for their diligence in their superintendent search.

“We really appreciate Mr. King,” said board president Chris Fairlee. whose request for applause was met with a resounding clapping of hands in the high school library’s meeting room.

“We’re all about positives; … Let’s project some positives to the community, that’s what Mr. King has brought to me personally and to this board,” Fairlee said.

“My first teaching position was here in the North Panola School District, I’m definitely glad to be back as superintendent,” said new superintendent Richardson during brief remarks near the end of the meeting.

“My passion is for educating children,” Richardson said. “I don’t sleep well if I believe that children in Oxford have more opportunities than children in North Panola. I believe that it takes double the effort, if you’re not willing to make that effort, it’s going to be a tough challenge,” he continued.

The meeting format opened with a public hearing during which district business manager Yvette Upshaw reviewed for trustees sources of revenues and expenditures for schools operations. 

A shortfall in projected revenue versus expenses of $304,466.68 was offset with a transfer from the district’s reserve fund, prompting a question from board president Fairlee about an annual decline in the district’s fund balance.

“Is there anything that we’re going to do to make those projections higher?”

“We’ve been coming up short in our state funds each year,” Upshaw said, referring to Mississippi Adequate Education Program funds.

The business manager said that although the state had allocated an additional $119,000 MAEP funds to the district, it had mandated a teacher pay raise that will cost the district an additional $260,000.

Both Upshaw and King cited attendance as a key to gaining more MAEP funding.

“Accountability standards require that you fund teachers based on the number of students — the membership… . When the state legislature funds a school district, the fund based on average daily attendance. It would be fairer to school districts if the State of Mississippi based on membership rather than attendance,” King said.

Upshaw later confirmed that the change in state law that requires a student to attend for 63 percent of a day in order to be counted as present had reduced the district’s MAEP funding.