Melissa Arnold

The public hearing presented the district budget to the community, discussing prior year events, upcoming challenges, and the potential impact on local taxpayers. Major items added in 2022 included additional teacher units, a one-time loyalty supplement, a Science Curriculum Coordinator, interventionists, digital textbooks, Promethean boards, HVAC project, visitor management system, Wi-Fi bus cameras, an instructional computer lab refresh, band equipment, and a phone system upgrade. Looking ahead to 2023, planned additions include MTSS Coordinators, teacher units, IDEA assistants, increased supplements for Department/Grade Level Chairs and Athletic Supplements, a Kindergarten & 1st Grade Reading Curriculum, ACT and ACT Workkeys test fees, IB student incentives, a Piano Lab, safety gates, baseball field house improvements, a tractor, HS gutters, drainage at Central Office, and HVAC improvements. The hearing also covered enrollment trends, ADA trends, IDEA December 1 Child Count, a comparison of per-pupil expenditure, MS Adequate Education Program (MAEP) funding, ad valorem requests and history, and summarized budget components, percentages, revenues, and expenditures.

The public hearing on the 2024-2025 proposed budget included a review of the 2025 budget, looking ahead to 2025, and future budget considerations. The budget includes secondary arts, technology, facilities and transportation, and personnel. Future considerations include student devices, maintenance and SRO vehicle replacement, bus replacement, OSMS roof replacement, flooring refresh, HVAC, LED lighting, athletic lighting, synthetic turf replacement, creative classroom furniture, interior paint, and building intercom updates. The hearing also covered ADA and Net Membership trends, IDEA December 1 Child Count, comparison of per pupil expenditure, funds, funding sources, 2025 budgeted revenue, Mississippi Student Funding Formula (MSFF), FY25 MS Student Funding Formula (MSFF), FY25 Ad Valorem, Ad Valorem History, Ad Valorem Trend, 2025 Budgeted Expenditures, and Summarized Budget Components.

The Ocean Springs School District's Dropout Prevention Plan aims to provide services and supports to enhance opportunities for students to succeed in school and beyond through early intervention, counseling, and academic support. The plan focuses on identifying at-risk students, providing personal/social counseling and academic support, coordinating with outside agencies, developing parent networks, and offering staff development training. It also aims to decrease the dropout rate from 4.9% to 4.0% over the next five years by addressing the personal needs of each student, elevating the importance of teachers and learning, and accelerating innovation to meet global demands.

The public hearing on the proposed budget for FY 2026 included a review of FY 2025, covering secondary arts, technology, facilities/transportation, baseball halo, and personnel. Looking ahead to 2026, the focus is on technology (switch refresh, copiers, Macbooks) and personnel (teacher salary scale increase, dissolving teacher units through attrition). Future budget considerations involve student devices, vehicle replacement, roof replacement, flooring refresh, HVAC, LED lighting, athletic lighting, synthetic turf replacement, classroom furniture, interior paint, and building intercom updates. Trends in ADA and net membership, IDEA child count, and per pupil expenditure were also discussed. Funding sources include local, state, and federal sources, with a total projected revenue of $84,182,994. The Mississippi Student Funding Formula (MSFF) and ad valorem trends were reviewed. Budgeted expenditures for 2026 total $85,157,725.82, with a breakdown of budget components and percentages.

The public hearing presented the district budget to the community, discussing prior year events affecting the budget, upcoming events or challenges, and potential impacts on local taxpayers. It reviewed the addition of teacher units, local supplement increases for certified staff, and infrastructure upgrades. Looking ahead to 2022, the budget includes additional teacher units, a one-time loyalty supplement, curriculum coordinators, interventionists, digital textbooks, Promethean boards, HVAC projects, visitor management systems, Wi-Fi bus cameras, instructional computer lab refresh, band equipment, and a phone system upgrade. The budget also covers enrollment trends, IDEA child count, per pupil expenditure, MAEP, and ad valorem requests.