Williamson County Schools Superintendent says more tax dollars needed for teacher and staff raises

Williamson County Schools Superintendent Jason Golden discusses the district’s budget plans at Tuesday’s school board meeting. (Screenshot)

Williamson County Schools Superintendent Jason Golden told district leaders and community members at Tuesday’s school board meeting that the district is currently working to finalize its proposed budget for the upcoming budget process.

Golden said that barring “any substantial change at the state level,” the district will need additional funds from the Williamson County Commission to implement pay increases for teachers and staff.

“If we don’t get any additional funding from the state, it will take county government discussion,” he said. “The county commission budget committee has already started that discussion. We plan to bring to you our proposed budget a month earlier than we did last year so that you have time to process that, so come February, we will be presenting you with our proposed budget, with the caveat that we won’t really know the revenue side yet.”

He said the proposed budget will include a pay increase plan to improve salaries and supplements for some of the district’s lowest paid staff members, as well as supplements for staff in athletics and arts.

“We’re looking at that right now and plan to bring you a proposal based on what we hope we will get funded from the county commission to try to meet some of those needs of our staff members,” he said.

The move comes after Williamson County Schools students and community members have urged Williamson County Board of Education members on several occasions at recent board meetings to support raises for arts teachers in particular.

“We want to find a way to do what we can with the money we have from our tax base to support them as much as we can in that good work,” Golden said at a meeting in August.