RISON - Jerrod Williams, the incoming superintendent for the Cleveland County School District, said the long-term financial stability of the school district will be the primary focus of the recommendations he makes to the school board when he officially begins his one-year contract on July 1.
Williams, who was a finance major in college before switching to education, comes to Cleveland County after serving as superintendent at Pangburn, Bauxite and, most recently, for the 4,200student Sheridan School District.
He has met with current Cleveland County Superintendent Craig Dupuy this past Monday as well as Monday of last week. Dupuy is leaving to become an assistant superintendent for the Benton School District.
In an interview from April 10, Williams said he was "apprehensive" about the financial impact the new LEARNS education plan could have on small school districts like Cleveland County. He said he will take a conservative approach to expenses as he guides the district through what will be the first year under the new education program.
Williams said one of his greatest concerns with LEARNS was what "unfunded mandates" could be on the horizon for districts since only the first two years of funding has been set so far. The state has not yet developed a long-term funding plan for the program.
"I think it's going to become more and more important to look at where every dollar is going because we don't know what two years from now holds," Williams said.
With that in mind, Williams was asked what approach he will take with salaries, construction projects and other topics during the April 10 interview. Here are his responses:
Salaries
Perhaps the most significant and most publicized change with the LEARNS plan is the increase in starting teacher pay, jumping from $36,000 to $50,000 per year.
The school board approved a revised salary schedule for teachers during its regu...
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