The Opp City School Board of Education approved a $14.87 million budget Thursday, which is a $1.27 million increase from last year’s budget.

The system is expected to receive $14.9 million in revenue from state, federal, local and other sources.

It expects to spend:

• $9.1 million on instructional services;
• $1.3 million on operations and maintenance;
• $1.5 million on bus and lunchroom services;
• $796,933 on administrative services;
• $835,665 on debt service; and
• $500,788 on other expenditures.

State funding for teachers is based on the average daily attendance or enrollment. Funding for the 2018-19 budget adopted last night was calculated on an enrollment of 1,273.85 in 2017-18, down 13 students from the previous year.

The system employs 86.5 teachers, three librarians, three counselors, eight administrators, 4.58 certified support personnel, and 56.92 non-certified support personnel. Of the total 162 employees, only six are paid from local funds.

The average teaching experience for Opp teachers is 14.5 years, and 55 percent of the system’s teachers have advanced degrees.

“Our enrollment is actually down 13 students from last year,” Superintendent Michael Smithart said. “We are now in the window of when the state calculates the projected enrollment for next year. We hope to see an increase this year.”

The system has 162 employees, 128.1 funded by the state, 27.82 with federal funding and six locally funded.

The estimated beginning fund balance is $4.5 million and the projected ending fund balance in September of 2019 is $4,588,197.