Schools face escalating insurance, technology costs

Spending for the Worcester County Board of Education is expected to increase about 1 percent in the coming fiscal year as the school system faces jumps in insurance and technology costs.

The school system's health insurance costs are expected to increase 5 percent, or $574,000, in fiscal year 2014, according to Vince Tolbert, the school system's chief financial officer.

Technology costs will be higher than this year as the school system struggles to meet online testing requirements, Tolbert said. The board will spend $30,000 to ensure broadband is available at all the schools. To ...