Even though summer just began, the people working behind the scenes are ready for next year to begin with a full wallet.

The Newton County Board of Education approved its official budget for the 2014-2015 school year for all governmental funds as approved in the tentative budget last month. One change was added into the adopted budget as an addition of $200,000 in instructional expenditures to add one more hour to the six-hour per day elementary paraprofessional workday salaries.

The Newton County School System (NCSS) will begin the fiscal year with a projected $18,838,219 in the general fund, compared to $20,880,172 in FY 2014.

Total revenues are projected to sit at $144,512,361, which is a 5.66 percent increase from last year. Expenditures are expected to increase by 3.14 percent from last year to $145,240,113.

This increase in expenditures is attributed to an anticipated increase in employee salaries. Teachers and other NCSS personnel will receive a two percent increase in their total salary schedule, rather than the one percent, one-time pay adjustment they received last year. Eligible employees will also be given back one additional workday and step increases.

At the end of the year, the general fund balance is expected to be $18,110,467, which is 12.47 percent of the budget and more than the recommended seven percent.

The budget was approved 5-0 by council members and goes into effect in July.