School fund balance takes $56,000 hit
Account drops after sales-tax correction; staff changes announced
7:04 p.m. April 13, 2026
DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor
The Moore County Board of Education on Monday, April 13, heard that its latest state funding estimate dipped only slightly, but its fund balance dropped by more than $56,000 after a sales-tax error forced the district to repay money to the county.
On hand for the meeting were Carrie Barnett, Jammie Cashion, and Tanya Vann. Ed Cashion and Kaleigh Hatfield were absent.
Budget Picture Shifts
Director of Schools Chad Moorehead said the latest state funding estimate came in nearly $11,000 below the February estimate, a relatively small change compared with earlier swings. The larger issue, he said, was a just over $56,000 reduction in fund balance after auditors determined the school system had received too much local sales tax revenue in May 2025. The district must return that money to the county.
Even with that correction, Moorehead said the system is still planning for priorities discussed earlier, including an additional HMI teacher at Lynchburg Elementary School and the purchase of a school bus. He said this month's Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) estimate will likely serve as the basis for the budget the board eventually approves. He also said he wants to budget for a 5% fund balance cushion, up from 3%, to strengthen cash flow and reduce the chance that the system would need a tax anticipation note to get through December.
Staff Changes, Tenure Ahead
The board also heard more staff changes as the school year winds down.
Moorehead said Ashley Deal is leaving for a position in Franklin County, and Allyssa Hannah has accepted a job in Lincoln County. Stevie Taggett has been approved for maternity leave in the fall. Kim Cauble and Janie Sanders submitted retirement letters on Monday.
On the hiring side, Sherri Fox has been hired as a custodian at LES, Angie Holcomb has returned to the district as an LPN at the elementary school, and MCHS Principal Josh Deal will move to the central office at the end of the school year to serve as Supervisor of Support Services.
Looking ahead, Moorehead reminded the board that tenure decisions are due next month.
Support Role Approved
The board’s main vote Monday was to keep a special education support employee in place through the end of the school year.
Moorehead asked members to approve keeping Jillian Schecter in the role using available classroom funds. He said the arrangement began when a student who needed an LPN was expected to be out of school for a time. Since then, another student’s medical needs have created a new need for an LPN, but the district wants to keep Schecter in the role through year’s end.
After a brief discussion about the possibility of the original student returning and whether funding would still be available if that happened, the board approved the request unanimously.
Special Education Bus Update
Moorehead also updated the board on a transportation issue involving the district’s small special-education bus.
He said the bus is off the road while it is being evaluated at the dealership for a cylinder problem that may be covered under warranty. For now, some students are riding a regular-route bus, with the aide reassigned there, while a couple of families are transporting their children themselves. The district also tried to locate a loaner bus through neighboring systems, but none were available.
Public Inout: Heartfelt Thank-You
• During public input, ninth-grader Cale Rose thanked the board for continuing FFA and 4-H field trips.
“I wanted to personally come and thank y’all for allowing us to go on the FFA and 4H field trips to learn new things,” Rose told the board.
• The board closed the night without action on a set of state policy updates.
Moorehead said one proposed change reflects a new state law that expands public comment at school board meetings, so speakers are no longer limited to agenda items. The final language has not yet been issued and is expected later, likely in the group’s June policy update. Until then, he said, the district can implement the new law in practice while awaiting the formal policy language.
