[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6364071,"mediaKeyId","2165385-6869fa06cf4e75a8a31ed3f837059e22","parentId",2165385,"title","Preliminary budget: Virginia Beach schools report $45.2M in staff funded above state formula and $36M in unfunded mandates","audioSeconds",1281,"startMs",3775000,"endMs",5056000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2165385-6869fa06cf4e75a8a31ed3f837059e22&start=3775&end=5056","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2165385-6869fa06cf4e75a8a31ed3f837059e22/thumbnail_3775000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6364071/Virginia/Preliminary-budget-Virginia-Beach-schools-report-452M-in-staff-funded-above-state-formula-and-36M-in-unfunded-mandates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6364071-c70b0714d8cf750fd3869d5ebc346bd0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771132356&Signature=iElC-NiDMOV29XqEd0dmIKpODU5ANT-TbFNvfEo3WPxdXna4q1trzlFsgOccrxcvv14Jw8tTiO30rwLH8hW2hWj36eU2d15mzM9OcDxEK6wyyKUfSRfaqyIKJ~q8gxZiQSoGwziZKwL0By~AhmUVnYlgFvALS7zbmji3ea4oXMwqP8HqRPZjcPA8RkG7modPZ2F3v~XPMqw9drzqRwTpd7-ly5QIEyR0po0v4orXLpJlYAXEU~QzcelOTZer1Az3Pml3axXdk~q~TEuUGD-JoSqS1dVLOzju00Y7oeawxNc2Gi3n16DKusjsXuaYPYPioc3Q2jWZEdQzu~HO0HnqYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","VA Beach City Public School","date","2025-01-29T14:43:06Z","article","In a Jan. 28 administrative workshop, Crystal Pate, chief financial officer for Virginia Beach City Public Schools, presented a preliminary operating-budget overview that quantified staff funded above the state's Standards of Quality (SOQ) and summarized costed unfunded mandates the division expects to cover locally.

Pate told the school board that Virginia Beach funds roughly $45.2 million in positions beyond what the state provides under the SOQ. Those locally funded positions include library-media assistants, assistant principals, clerical staff, counselors, technology-support technicians and instructional technology specialists, elementary resource teachers (art, music, PE) and reading specialists. The division also presented an unfunded-mandates estimate of approximately $36 million for fiscal year 2025.

The figures matter for the FY2026 budget because the division must balance service levels and local priorities against constrained resources and a state funding model the staff described as dated and inadequate for current needs.

Pate cited a JLARC (Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission) finding that Virginia's SOQ underestimates the number of staff and the true cost of compensation the division requires. The presentation itemized the division's locally funded positions and estimated costs:

- Library-media assistants (LMAs): 54 FTEs above SOQ; cost approximately $2,500,000.
- Library-media specialists (LMS): 2.5 FTEs above SOQ; cost approximately $254,382.
- Assistant principals: 83.5 FTEs above SOQ; cost nearly $10,000,000.
- Clerical support: ~214.1 FTEs above SOQ; cost approximately $14,100,000.
- School counselors: 57.1 FTEs above SOQ; cost approximately $5,600,000.
- Technology support (TSTs and ISTs): 68 positions above SOQ; cost approximately $5,300,000.
- Elementary resource teachers (art, music, PE): 54.2 positions above SOQ; cost approximately $5,000,000.
- Reading specialists: 24.6 positions above SOQ; cost approximately $2,400,000.

Pate said the total cost of these additional supports is about $45.2 million and reiterated that some state standards recently changed — specifically, reading-specialist staffing rules tied to the Virginia Literacy Act — which increased local obligations.

Pate also reported vacancy and revenue items relevant to budget planning: as of Jan. 17 the division had 58 instructional vacancies; the division projects an overall revenue increase of roughly $30.1 million for FY2026 versus the amended FY2025 budget, with about $9.7 million of that increase attributable to state revenue changes in the governor's proposed budget and state sales-tax estimates.

Board members asked for clarifications and next steps. Miss Melnick said the division should make the list of unfunded mandates public so the community understands the portion of the budget that is constrained by state requirements. Doctor Robertson and staff asked board members to provide priorities to guide allocation of new revenues; staff requested input by Sunday, Feb. 2 so the superintendent's estimate of needs (SEON) can be drafted by Feb. 4 for a Feb. 11 board presentation.

Pate closed by reminding the board that several reductions were adopted in FY2025 after the city's 2-cent cut to the real-estate tax rate, and noted where staffing changes were made to balance prior budgets. No formal action was taken at the workshop.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Workshop - 01/28/2025","oneSentenceSummary","CFO Crystal Pate walked the board through positions the division funds beyond the state Standards of Quality (SOQ), associated costs, and a list of unfunded mandates as the board begins budget work for FY2026.","taxTitle","VA BEACH CITY PBLC SCHS, School Districts, Virginia","taxId",14520,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6364076,"Virginia Beach study outlines pay-scale options for teachers and support staff; entry pay increases would cost $18M–$26.7M",3550,248000,3798000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2165385-6869fa06cf4e75a8a31ed3f837059e22&start=248&end=3798","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2165385-6869fa06cf4e75a8a31ed3f837059e22/thumbnail_248000.jpg","/articles/6364076/Virginia/Virginia-Beach-study-outlines-pay-scale-options-for-teachers-and-support-staff-entry-pay-increases-would-cost-18M267M","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6364076-3adbb6afe4a23b8f184d278cdc8e033a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771132356&Signature=IWHj3Iks0q6XXpDk0-M3Ba3-QbTANqKTZX1ZXb8-Thl2jvU8H89zjwLUi4-vlKlpbS6O5B-m7vwC86WAmM6lQvJF0dforsEG-0iMN2lwePrlCrkHJYiDTz0oONI2DlBYAkT3B~yydD64-WxtIqVz03WdZMR2w63II0NDE~gGmZi6lZfnPFJ0BezBtOnOeVh0ewWamAYBHBuGbegH~p6ygNduaBW2z09WCya9NrO8N0sLdyo3r4wnCLMO035DQJ3uPD-qwpXcb9SBbhI8BZigXxHC~gaS9nb8g-sHumKZE6DeD0K9LdTH~uj2qVpxuYdyq0qnLYoS~iLCl0w9yBNN1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At an administrative workshop on Jan. 28, 2025, Virginia Beach City Public Schools' human-resources leaders and compensation consultants presented options to raise teacher starting pay and revise the unified (noninstructional) pay scale to address staffing shortages and retention concerns.

The presentation, led by Darnita Trotman, chief human resources officer, and Paula Singer, vice president at consulting firm Siegel, outlined two structure-change options for the unified pay scale and three entry-pay increase scenarios for the teacher pay scale, with estimated annual costs ranging from about $10.7 million to $26.7 million depending on the option chosen.

The discussion matters because the division is competing for a shrinking pool of educators and support staff in the Hampton Roads region; board members said they wanted to weigh near-term costs against longer-term recruitment and retention risks.

Siegel proposed two unified-pay-scale options for the lowest grade (U7), which covers bus assistants, Custodian I staff and cafeteria assistants. Option A would change the step increments (raising the structure by 1.5 percent for years 0–14) and was estimated to cost roughly $20.7 million. Option B would raise the structure by 3 percent but keep years 0–14 step increases at 1 percent; Siegel estimated that option at roughly $10.7 million and described it as an initial boost that does not fully address the compounding compression in early-career steps.

On the teacher pay scale, Siegel presented three entry-rate options intended to make Virginia Beach more competitive with peer divisions (Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Hampton, Newport News and Suffolk). Under Siegel's framing: a 5 percent entry increase (Option A) would move the current entry salary from $54,065 to about $56,769 and cost about $26.7 million; a 4 percent entry increase (Option B) would raise entry pay to about $56,228 and cost about $22.5 million; and a 3 percent entry increase (Option C) would move entry pay to about $55,687 and cost about $18.4 million. All three teacher options were modeled to also support an average 3 percent increase for eligible employees across the pay scale.

\"Staff in schools remains a persistent challenge,\" Trotman said in opening remarks, noting shortages in teachers, bus assistants, custodians and cafeteria assistants. Paula Singer summarized the trade-offs: \"All the options align with the goal of a minimum increase of 3 percent for all eligible employees,\" and she urged the board to weigh taking a larger up-front investment now against repeatedly returning to the issue in future budget cycles.

Board members questioned the strategy of chasing peer divisions' raises. \"Should we decide to kick this down the can? Is this going to put us in an even bigger disadvantage with our competitors in the area?\" asked Miss Rogers, a school board member. Singer replied that waiting could risk falling further behind, particularly for early-career recruits who compare starting pay across nearby divisions.

Several board members asked for additional detail. Mr. Cummings requested counts of staff by years-of-service bands (for example, numbers of employees with 0–5, 5–10 years) to better understand how the modeled increases would distribute across employees. Miss Weems asked staff to report applicant feedback indicating whether candidates decline positions because of housing costs or pay differentials with neighboring divisions.

Siegel and division staff said they would provide follow-up data requested by the board and noted the presentation was intended to inform upcoming budget decisions. No formal motion or vote occurred at the workshop; the board will consider these options as part of the superintendent's budget process.

The board signaled support for prioritizing both teachers and the lowest-paid unified positions, and staff emphasized that any change would be constrained by available funding and the upcoming SEON (superintendent's estimate of needs) and budget calendar.

A set of modeled totals and cost options provided by Siegel will be used by division staff as they prepare budget proposals for the board's February 11 presentation and the March 11 budget approval timeline.

","Consultant Siegel presented three teacher-entry options and two unified (noninstructional) options at a Jan. 28 school-board workshop; board members pressed for data on vacancies, recruitment and cost trade-offs as budget season begins.","actionData","errors"]

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Preliminary budget: Virginia Beach schools report $45.2M in staff funded above state formula and $36M in unfunded mandates

Virginia Beach study outlines pay-scale options for teachers and support staff; entry pay increases would cost $18M–$26.7M