Forsyth County Schools

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System Overview

• 3,500 Full-Time Employees and 1,000 Substitutes
• Over 28,100 Students
• 27 Schools
• 154 Classrooms in Trailers
• 16 Primary/Elementary
• 6 Middle
• 3 High
• 1 Alternative School
• 1 Charter Non-Traditional High School
• Schools
• Current 27
• Projected, 2009 36
• Projected, 2012 40

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Operational Facts

• Established in 1860
• Largest employer in Forsyth County
• 2006-07 General Fund Budget
• 210 million (54 locally funded, less than 1
  federally funded)
• Number of Instructional Units 1,791
• Active Acreage 1,152
• Lowest millage rate in Metro-Atlanta (14.708 for
  MO)
• Second lowest free and reduced percentage in the
  State
• Home to 9 Georgia Schools of Excellence and two
  National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence
• Serve 21,500 meals a day
• Transport students 3.5 million miles a year
• Largest installation of Interactive Whiteboards
  in the world

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Student Enrollment
FCS has the largest percentage of student
enrollment growth in Georgia (current and
projected, 13).
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Facilities Plan
Land not purchased
Note Land banked for two future schools not
listed
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Funding History

• Sources for Funding Capital Improvements
• Bonds 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2005
• SPLOST I II 1997 and 2001
• State Capital Outlay
• All projects promised in these referendums have
  been completed, with the exception of a few from
  the from the 2005 Bond referendum, such as
• Elementary 7
• Air conditioning middle school gyms (spring 2007)
• Sawnee sewer
• GPS on buses
• What is a SPLOST?
• Special Purpose Local Option (one-cent) Sales Tax
  on goods purchased in the county that lasts a
  maximum of five years.
• By law, SPLOST funds can only be used for capital
  outlay projects for educational purposes and to
  make payments on bonds.
• Funds cannot be used for salaries or general
  operational
• costs of the school system.

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SPLOST III November 7, 2006

• Why Hold the SPLOST Referendum?
• The current SPLOST expires in June 2007 and the
  2005 Bond only funded projects up to 2007.
• State funding has not kept up with rapid student
  growth and state class size mandates from 2006
  have created additional pressure on our
  facilities, specifically 38 additional classroom
  trailers.
• Residential development has continued at record
  levels for over a decade, making Forsyth County
  one of the fastest growing counties in the
  nation.
• As of July 2006, over 40,000 new homes have been
  approved or pending by the Planning Commission
  since 2002. With a seven year build out on these
  homes, it would equate to over 21,300 new K-12
  students in our school system by 2012-13.

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SPLOST III November 7, 2006

• Up to 265 million in funding for five years
• Issue 130 million in bonds along with the
  SPLOST vote to begin projects immediately.
• Construct four new schools (2009)
• Lambert High
• Haw Creek Elementary
• Lakeside Middle
• Elementary 10
• Construct addition at North Forsyth High
• Fund land for future schools
• Provide school improvements and updates
  (lifecycle)
• Add technology, transportation and safety
  projects
• Make payments on voter approved 1999 and 2005
  bonds instead of passing the cost to property
  owners

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SPLOST III November 7, 2006

• If SPLOST fails

• If the SPLOST fails, the school system still has
  to find another way to make the
• payments on the 1999 and 2005 Bonds, as well as
  house the increasing student
• population. Without this funding, local programs
  will be cut, trailers will multiply
• and property taxes will increase.
• Money for locally funded programs could be
  reduced for
• programs such as
• School Nurses
• Technology
• Foreign Language
• Art
• Music
• P.E.
• The Forsyth Academy
• Additional School Counselors and Assistant
  Principals
• Professional Development

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Voting Information

• Please Note The Forsyth County government and
  City of Cumming taxes and SPLOST/Bond Referendums
  are not related to the school system, each is a
  separate government entity.
• Voting Information Last question on the ballot!
• Early Voting, October 30 - November 3, 2006
• 800 am - 430 pm
• Cumming Library, Sharon Forks Library Forsyth
  County
• Public Safety Complex
• Voting Day, Tuesday, November 7, 2006
• Polls open 700 am - 700 pm
• Election Day is a student holiday! Schools will
  be
• open for voting and teacher/staff
  development.