Fulton County Board of Education approves revised non-resident contract submission

Fulton County Board of Education members, during regular board session Sept. 24, among other items listed on the agenda, voted to propose to Fulton Independent Schools, a revised non-resident contract for the 2021-2022 school year, after the FIS Board of Education declined the previously submitted non-resident contract from Fulton County’s School Board.

Fulton County School Board members Rob Garrigan, Brian Emmons, Kim Hagler, Barry Patrick, and Perry Turner voted to submit a proposed non-resident contract with Fulton Independent School for 46 non-resident pupils, who live in the FIS District and now attend school in the Fulton County School District.
For the current school year, 2020-2021, there is no non-resident contract in place between Fulton County Schools and Fulton Independent School.
According to Fulton County Schools’ Interim Superintendent, Patrice Chambers, Robin Kinney, Kentucky’s Department of Education Associate Commissioner stated “SEEK funds for the 2020-2021 school year are frozen so it will remain the same.”
“At the Sept. 24 board meeting, the Fulton County School Board approved a second offer for the 2021-2022 school year. The board and I feel we have made a counter offer that will benefit both schools,” Chambers said, in reference to the non-resident contract with FIS for the 2021-2022 school year.

Previously, Fulton Independent had proposed a specific number of students, 46 named, to be included in the non-resident contract, however the Fulton County Board of Education had instead, presented FIS with the non-resident contract between the two school districts, to be designated for “Any/All” students.
The proposed non-resident contract from FIS, for 46 students, was based on a non-resident list received from Fulton County’s Director of Pupil Personnel as of Oct. 21, 2019, which included students at that time, residing in the Fulton Independent District, who were already enrolled in the Fulton County School District.

At the present time, there are 50 non-resident students enrolled in Fulton County Schools, who reside within the Fulton Independent School district, along with six Fulton County Schools’ staff members who live within the FIS district.

The Non-Resident Contracts are required by KRS 157.350, which reads in part, each district which meets requirements shall be eligible to share in the distribution of SEEK funds from the state and a school district may not include nonresident pupils in its average daily attendance (ADA), except by written agreement with the district of the pupil’s legal residence. Each district is to keep a signed copy of this contract on file.

The board of education of the district where the non-resident pupils attend school must agree to make attendance reports at the close of the first two months and at the close of the school term. These reports shall be delivered to the board of education where the pupils legally reside and shall agree with the terms of the contract.

The board of education of the district of residence and the board of education of the district providing instruction must agree that all contractual terms, supplemental agreements, and other conditions governing this exchange of students are fully disclosed.

Superintendent PaTrice Chambers reported on the notification of Personnel actions with the hiring of Jade Eakes and Ronekia Blair, Food Service full time; Kari McConnell, Digital Learning Coach; Garrett Wilkerson, bus monitor; Brooke Mueller, and Katie Lane, substitute teachers; Katie Baggett, student bus monitor; and Penny Fleming, substitute employee; and the resignation of Lindsey Bridges, Fulton County High School Softball.

In Chambers’ Superintendent Report, she stated, “One of my goals is to work on managerial leadership, with focus being on the budget to have a good working knowledge. Monday, Jennifer Davis, Dianne Owen, and myself met and worked on the budget, going line-by-line, trying to make sure we maximize our revenue, and insure our expenditures were fiscally responsible. I’m confident this budget is sound and doable for the District this year. I want to commend Davis, as our finance officer, for working tedious hours on the budget and coaching me through, and I really appreciate it. Years ago, we were close to not being able to make payroll, but when she presents her report tonight, I think it will be part of the “wow” factor and something we are proud of.”

The Board voted to approve the Murray Head Start contract, memorandum of agreement for the West Kentucky Community and Technical College.

Ellen Murphy, Interim Director of Pupil Personnel reported, “We have 50 students who reside in Fulton City that are coming to us for their education, two students from Hickman County, four from Graves County, and one from Carlisle County.”

Board members voted to approve the non-resident contract for any/all contracts for Calloway County, Graves County, Carlisle County, Mayfield City, McCracken Co., Paducah Independent and Hickman County for the 2021-2022 school years; approved the emergency certification for Dori Sheehan, and the 2020-2021 working budget.

Murphy reported, “We don’t have a contract with Fulton Independent as of today. I feel we should redo our contract and agree to 46 students, which is what we had at the end of school last year. For 2020-2021, we have 50 kids.”

Jennifer Davis, Chief Financial Officer for Fulton County Schools presented the financial report for September.

“Actual revenues for the month are at $525,210.28, against the budget of $5,007,344.00, or 10.49% of the budget. Last year’s budget actuals were $473,854.96, against the budget of $49,11,652.60, or 9.65%. This year’s actual expenses are $432,428.11, against the budget of $5,007,344.00, or 8.64% of the budget, compared to last year’s expenses of $459,985.54, with a budget of $4,911,652.60, or 9.37% of the budget spent,” Davis said.