A windfall

of nearly $400,000 has allowed the Fayette County Board of Education to

fund several new positions in and out of the classroom for the coming

academic year.

The Teacher

Retirement System of Georgia announced in late May that the employer contribution

rate would be reduced from 11.29 percent to 9.24 percent effective July

1, Superintendent John DeCotis reported at the July school board meeting.

This means the board's contributions for the 2002 fiscal year have been

reduced by about $1.6 million.

However, the

Georgia Department of Education's revised allotment sheets for the coming

year show a withdrawal of $1.2 million in retirement funds, leaving a

difference of about $400,000.

DeCotis recommended

that the money be reallocated to fund other needs not orginally funded

in the 2002 budget, such as:

The addition

of one psychologist, bringing the county's total to eight.

The addition

of one locksmith in the Facilities Department (there was previously only

one on staff).

The addition

of four classroom teacher positions.

Funding of

DeCotis' own pay increase, approved by the board in June.

Allotment

of $107,798 for special projects in the Facilities Department.

All of the

above recommendations were approved by the board.

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