At the conclusion of Thursday night’s Christian County Public Schools board meeting, its members — and at the request of Superintendent Chris Bentzel — voted unanimously in favor of resetting the personal property tax rate of 42.8 cents per $100 of value to 42.1 cents, lowering it by seven tenths.
All remaining tax rates, set during the August 17 board meeting, stay in place.
In lowering this tax, Board Member Lindsey Clark reflected on a decision the board made last year.
Just as he did with the Trigg County Board of Education, board attorney Jack Lackey Jr. had to reiterate that the 4% revenue is “misleading” when it comes to school districts, because of the net loss generated against compensating rates and rising property values.
Property values, in which, the board has zero control.
Bentzel said the change in revenue would be minimal.
By law, this .7 revenue change is recallable, and a petition asking for its appearance on the general ballot has been filed by Mark Graham to the Christian County Clerk’s Office, with signatures soon to be sought.
In other school board news:
— During a discussion about the district’s strategic plan and its progress, both Bentzel and Technology Coordinator Dr. Jason Wilson iterated that there may soon be a push to get sixth graders back into middle school.
Wilson also noted that Thursday’s bond sale for the consolidation, held in Louisville, was successful, and that the 9 AM, September 15 groundbreaking remains on schedule.
— In an update of the CCPS Career and Technical Education Pathways, Principal Penny Knight confirmed more than 1,300 of the district’s 2,000-ish high schoolers have weekly, or daily, classes in the Gateway Academy. The goal, she said, is to eventually have it where students undertake a work-based experience before graduation.
One new pathway, aircraft maintenance, has 33 students so far, including four young women, and other avenues — such as sports marketing and athletic medical trainer — are being promoted, developed and explored.
— Leslie Lancaster, principal for Freedom Elementary, said the school continues to rebound effectively, and for the 2023-24 school year she has 37 certified staff members: 22 returning, 15 new and zero emergency hires. Four teachers are currently working through alt-certification programs.
Of the school’s 547 students, she said 115 receive some sort of special education effort.
