Jackson Free Press

The Jackson Public School Board chose not to approve some aspects of the school budget last night, including money for some new buses, textbooks and school nurses, citing the need for more information from the superintendent's staff. Board member Jonathan Larkin said the board did basically approve the district budget, however, amounting to more than $230 million.

"The total budget was approved as requested, however certain line items will not be released until appropriate justifications are provided as requested by the board from the superintendent and his staff members," Larkin said.

Board President Sollie Norwood suggested holding off on approving funds for some school nurses initially paid for by a now-expired federal grant though the office of U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran. After the grant expired, the district expected the nurses to get funding through Medicaid reimbursements, but the replacement money never came.

Board members parted ways over concerns about whether or not nurses would get fired if the board did not approve the line item. Larkin and board member Ann Jones supported keeping the district's seven nurses on the payroll, especially considering the rapid approach of flu season.

JPS Superintendent Lonnie Edwards Sr. asked to keep the nurses, and will attempt to fund their positions through Medicaid, as originally decreed by the Cochran grant. The board agreed to give Edwards 60 days to report on his progress.

Regarding bus purchases for new schools, the board has been asking for an efficiency audit on the district's bus route for more than a year, in hopes that the children can be shuttled back and forth from school using 25 fewer vehicles, thus saving the district money on gas and other expenditures.

Board members say the average lifespan of a traditional school bus is 15 years, but the district has some vehicles that are 20 years old. Purchases are still necessary, according to Norwood, but the board prefers to have the district's audit in hand before surrendering the money.

The board also took issue with the purchase of new books, arguing that another audit is needed to justify spending $275,000 for new books on a student body population that is showing no significant amount of growth.