Telling the county school board that "we're in great shape" for the 2013-2014 budget process, Moore County Schools Chief Finance Officer Mike Griffin asked for, and received, the board's unanimous approval of his 2012-2013 budget resolution and quarterly financial update. The presentation was made Monday night at the board's regular monthly meeting.

Griffin began by reviewing the 2012-2013 budget statistics that included state funding of $64.2 million, which is approximately $50,000 higher than the 2011-2012 budget.

"Additional funding of about $1.2 million is expected for the transportation and exceptional children," Griffin said.

Local current funding is at $26.3 million, no change from the 2011-2012 year, while federal funding totals $12.1 million, $6.4 million of which is base level Title I funding with $5.7 million coming from carryover funding from January in the form of Title I, Exceptional Children, and Race to the Top program funds.

In other news, School Superintendent Aaron Spence announced that county graduation rates were at 83 percent, higher than the state average.

"Everyone associated with Moore County Schools is doing a tremendous job," he said. "I look forward to a great school year."

See full details of the meeting in Wednesday's edition of The Pilot.