HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Members of the Christian County Board of Education approved the working budget for the 2025-26 school year during the Sept. 18 meeting. Each year, it is required by CCPS to submit a budget to the Kentucky Department of Education by the end of September.

$78 million is allocated to the general fund in the working budget, with 43% of that revenue coming from over $30 million in Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) funding, and 35% coming from taxes. With grants supplying so much of the district’s budget, Jessica Darnell shared that this year they will receive $4.3 million in state grants, and $9.1 million in federal grants.

Expenditures from the general fund are mostly dominated by instructional costs, with 41% of the budget supporting any and all instruction expenses including substitute teachers, athletics, extracurricular activities, and special education. Another significant chunk of the budget goes to the district’s contingency, which is around $9 million for any additional costs the district may face throughout the year.

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Funding for mental health, CCPS Police

Board members pointed out that 7% of the budget this year is allocated to student support initiatives, with includes funding for social workers, nurses, speech, OT/PT, guidance counselors, and psychologists. Chairman Tom Bell said these services are crucial in supporting the positive mental health of students.

Breaking down the budget further, the district previously decided to allocate $1,000 stipend to staff, which is solidified in the plan. The funding for the new CCPS Police is also included in the budget, along with the required funds for vehicles they plan to purchase later in the school year.

Proprietary funds for the district, which are self-sustaining, are currently at a surplus with food service carrying forward $1.2 million into this year, and daycare services carying forward $1.8 million.

The board agreed that they feel good about where they are at will the general fund and the amount in the contingency, with Bentzel pointing out that the contingency has remained above 10% for the past few years.

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