County Mayor Jim Coppinger, at the close of an opening county budget session, said Tuesday, "We have to change the negative perception the public has of the Hamilton County Schools."
He said that unfavorable view of the county schools "has been around for at least two decades."
County Mayor Coppinger outlined the budget request for the schools in a meeting held at the Paul McDaniel Building.
Commissioner Tim Boyd, who is chairman of the finance committee, said, "I'm absolutely in favor of raises for classroom teachers, but I'm not for giving a frigging dime to administrators" who he said are responsible for the negative image.
He said from figures supplied by the schools that the average central office salary is $115,000.
Commissioner Boyd said the county schools "are in the bottom half of the bottom half" of state schools on test scores.
He said he noted that the current administration has a focus on implementing new "effective" programs. He said, "What I want to know is are they eliminating all the programs from the past that have been ineffective."
Commissioner Boyd said the school budget presentation has classroom teachers linked with others, including librarians, guidance counselors and school lunch employees under the heading of Teachers. He said, "What I want is a list of employees who are in a classroom with a white board and how much it would cost to give them raises.
He said, because of shortcomings of county school leaders, "We have lost a generation of our students."
Commissioner Greg Martin said someone needs to find out if other school systems are losing as many teachers each year as the 300 the county schools have drop off and have to be replaced.
He said one reason may be generous benefits that are available after age 55 to age 65. He said during that time many teachers leave the county schools and go to work at a Georgia school while "double dipping."
County Mayor Coppinger said it is often noted that Hamilton County is 35th in teacher pay. He said it should be pointed out that it is 35th out of 142 school systems in the state.
County school officials acknowledged that teacher benefits are "very comparable" to other systems. But they said teacher pay still needs to be raised.
Teachers will be getting a three percent increase under the proposed base budget. Under a request for an additional $24.5 million, they would get another two percent hike.
The county mayor said funding the $24.5 million would cost a 26-cent property tax increase.
He said every penny increase brings in about $930,000.
County Mayor Coppinger, on the perception issue, said the public schools may get compared "to the many fine private schools we have here."
He said there are many success stories in the county schools "that never get told."