Board hears SRO staffing and cost plan; district proposes annual agreements

School safety staff and finance presented the proposed SRO (school resource officer) agreements for FY26–27, including a shift to annual agreements and an updated reimbursement model.

Key points:
- The district has agreements with two local law-enforcement partners: Concord Police Department (24 SROs allocated; 18 paid/6 in‑kind) and Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office (27 SROs; 20 paid/7 in‑kind).
- Finance explained the FY26‑27 proposed reimbursement is $101,000 per officer, which the presenters said still falls short of typical full officer costs (estimated $105,000–$120,000 when agencies include benefits and overhead).
- The estimated net district cost (after anticipated state aid) for the SRO program runs roughly $2.3–$2.4 million and is included in the FY26‑27 budget ask.

District staff told the board the annual agreement allows greater flexibility to respond quickly to state funding changes. Board members asked for the final agreement to include the specific list of schools each officer will staff (a request staff agreed to incorporate), and finance staff said agencies remain the employer of record for SROs (district reimburses; agencies pay salary/benefits).

Why it matters: SRO staffing decisions and reimbursement levels directly affect school safety coverage and multi‑million‑dollar budget allocations.