MEMPHIS, Tenn. — You can’t get around the fact that we are talking about a lot of money.
If you include everything, Shelby County Schools will have a budget in the next fiscal year of about $1.6 billion. The entire State of Montana is run on about $6.5 billion dollars.
It’s a lot of money. Shelby County’s School system is the largest in the state, yet Superintendent Dr. Joris Ray says things aren’t what they used to be.
“We are swimming in the unknown,” he says.
You can thank a pandemic for that. School budgets are different this year. No one is sure how classes will be conducted in the fall.
“There WILL be classes,” Dr. Ray says.
He would not speculate on whether they would be in person classes or computer. They have a plan. It’s a plan that they say justifies them asking for $25 million more this year than last.
“We are extremely proud of our return on our investment in academics,” the Superintendent says.
So he talked of a new plan: Reimagine 901.
“Our plan goes beyond just bricks and mortar. Our efforts are based on a community commitment for high quality instruction: 21st Century technology including digital devices for all students, and a safe learning environment.”
County Commissioners have until July first to come up with a new budget.
