[{"_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",6306081,"mediaKeyId","2442316-28fa477d4cab1550280ee012a8d49916","parentId",2442316,"title","Orange County Public Schools previews large pay-scale increases and new staff in FY26 budget outline","audioSeconds",2042,"startMs",2796000,"endMs",4838000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2442316-28fa477d4cab1550280ee012a8d49916&start=2796&end=4838","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2442316-28fa477d4cab1550280ee012a8d49916/thumbnail_2796000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6306081/Virginia/Orange-County-Public-Schools-previews-large-pay-scale-increases-and-new-staff-in-FY26-budget-outline","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306081-a1802b431c504ab530895b35a20d592a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771118877&Signature=IV0~LPm82yqKVIWPokSt3sShtkJcJqYXG3z5jgGBft4HCnW6UMqzjgP0AXHLvPaq~jL8WK9GiAoXtD403PlvhYEDoArYdmRx05Vfra8AaTDLJgR6G4Hp2EAmCQm8jfh3ajI92yYvN9rFHCQRPBuC1sNY~A~2xvOzRBkx-hTXh7gewUNMdutE-DvQqpi4mT0jMfJkOR4FTLdRBaUryQg0UcLZdjGTZT-3wMDfgY8I0oFFL-OyIj7Drveerct46PN264CwBA~uQydiifqcjwQWKRCXLu3z-gGRDzPUAsQogFuWigmDdIFAgoG2aa~cALxwNQNyTpTkxN~fj5Q~X8EQwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","OCPS School Board - Orange, VA","date","2025-01-27T00:00:00Z","article","ORANGE COUNTY, Va. — The Orange County School Board heard a detailed preview of proposed priorities for the FY26 budget during its Jan. 27 meeting, with Superintendent Doctor Hornick urging the board to prioritize competitive pay and to shield employees from rising health-insurance costs.

Hornick told the board the division’s top priorities are raises for classroom teachers, targeted increases for instructional assistants and administrative staff, and a range of new or expanded positions the division says it needs to meet instructional and special-education requirements. “If at all possible and at all costs, try to absorb health insurance increases to not pass those along to our employees,” Hornick said during the presentation.

The proposal would rework the teacher salary scale to move Orange closer to the regional median. Hornick’s presentation showed a model that attempts to align steps with the median plus an additional buffer and described an overall targeted increase for teachers of roughly the low double digits on some steps; the presentation included a slide that described a 13.32% increase for part of the scale and an administration estimate that the teacher-scale salary impact would be on the order of about $3.1 million (administration cautioned that the number is preliminary and will depend on state funding and final step structure). Hornick also said teachers with a master’s degree currently receive a $3,000 differential and that the division’s target salary points for master’s teachers would rise (the presentation listed an example figure of $60,617 at an early step for teachers with a master’s degree).

Beyond teacher pay, the presentation listed targeted increases and minimums for other job categories: custodians (current starting wage cited at $14.56 per hour, with a proposed minimum target of $16.00 per hour), building administrative assistants (current starting wage cited at $14.23 per hour, proposed target $17.50 per hour), and revised head-custodian stipends tied to building enrollment (additional $400 increments by school size were proposed). Instructional assistants across the division were included in a proposal that Hornick characterized as “over 9% on average” across that pay band.

Hornick also outlined staffing additions the division expects to request in the proposed budget: another first-grade teacher and a reading specialist at Locust Grove Primary; a self-contained special-education class at Locust Grove and at Unionville with accompanying instructional-assistant positions; additional ELL staffing to meet service-time metrics (the administration said the division likely needs at least one ELL teacher at several schools and possibly more); two math specialists (elementary and secondary); additional counselors/coaches for behavior and self-contained programs (including a suggested additional behavior specialist/coach); a fourth school social worker (the division currently has three); and long‑requested positions such as a school psychologist and a speech-language pathologist. The administration also proposed adding some career-and-technical-education offerings (criminal-justice and TV/video-media broadcasting teachers) and recommended adding middle-school coach stipends to expand opportunities for girls (volleyball and girls’ soccer were named).

Funding and timing remain uncertain. Hornick repeatedly cautioned that state funding decisions, new statutes or standards (including any changes tied to the Virginia Literacy Act, SOQ formulas or the state’s funding tool), and anticipated increases in retirement and payroll taxes will affect the final local cost. “Much of what we can accomplish on here will be dictated on the funding, how much the state is going to come forward,” Hornick said. The superintendent noted some positions could be funded partially through grants and that some programs (for example, head-start and school nutrition) are funded or partly funded through federal or state streams and therefore require separate consideration.

Board members who spoke praised the administration for laying out priorities and urged urgency. Board member Jack Rickett said the recommendations were student-focused and supported an aggressive approach to compensation: “Everything you prioritized was had had an impact on students. Thank you,” he said. Several members asked for more detail on survey response rates and on the mechanics of step changes; Hornick and staff acknowledged the division’s community survey had fewer than 100 responses and said more outreach will continue as the budget process advances.

Next steps: the board will hold a public-comment session dedicated to the FY26 budget at an upcoming meeting and will receive a formal proposed budget in the weeks ahead. Hornick’s timeline calls for a public hearing on March 3 (a hearing required by law) and for board work sessions in March to reconcile the proposal before sending the package to the county for consideration.

The superintendent’s presentation and the board discussion did not authorize final budget decisions; the board will consider formal adoption at a later meeting after more detailed revenue estimates are available.

Ending — The administration said it would return to the board with specific dollar figures and recommended language for changes to salary schedules and new position requests as the revenue picture becomes clearer. The board scheduled additional budget work sessions and a statutorily required public hearing in March.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Combined Meeting - Jan 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","ORANGE COUNTY, Va. — The Orange County School Board heard a detailed preview of proposed priorities for the FY26 budget during its Jan. 27 meeting, with Superintendent Doctor Hornick urging the board to prioritize competitive pay and to shield employees from rising health-insurance costs.","taxTitle","ORANGE CO PBLC SCHS, School Districts, Virginia","taxId",38820,"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},6306075,"Orange County School Board elects officers, creates policy committee and approves several motions including new restroom policy",496,148000,644000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2442316-28fa477d4cab1550280ee012a8d49916&start=148&end=644","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2442316-28fa477d4cab1550280ee012a8d49916/thumbnail_148000.jpg","/articles/6306075/Virginia/Orange-County-School-Board-elects-officers-creates-policy-committee-and-approves-several-motions-including-new-restroom-policy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6306075-2a1021c614d7e974f626a9b557cd605a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771118878&Signature=b1PFc4dJJQJhu9oNWr66SaiEQlVwzPFpHGnASXOAHZ~3PMkp9A6-ykR7ihDEZiSXL8iXCKMoDX2Ofda2UMIP1aY-SYusOy8JHOfO9TzYB6NHV3LnJs3SPXiLM7YtFOzqB5lseeG6DN1~MtqY-a25yRXTiPMo8T9chwoCIfKcOWCSIo4c~LZg0vfEpt3Cik~riBnOG8VS8cnytuY19FNRuACCmlu4XcymnhAwe0yDRVRfjiguavjZG~ZceQVsF0FxT4rovF-pVEimqyQXy1w3STfrqxHfOeRroc75tvpXe4EbdVAZ55pzOjm~gW3X0sVqu0LiEO2Zs7SGr69NCMJ7Ag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","ORANGE COUNTY, Va. — During its Jan. 27 reorganizational meeting the Orange County School Board completed officer elections, confirmed administrative appointments and committee assignments, and voted on several procedural and policy matters.

Following nominations, the board elected Miss Anderson as chair for 2025 and Miss Dawson as vice chair. Miss Byram was approved as board clerk and Miss Y. Dawson was approved as deputy clerk. The board also approved its 2025 meeting calendar (regular meetings the first Monday at 7 p.m., work sessions the last Monday at 7 p.m.).

Board members opened the meeting with a discussion about whether the board should adopt a formal succession plan for officers. Some members suggested a multi‑year rotation so members could learn officer roles; others noted the current board policy BCA sets officer terms at one year and said changing the approach would require a policy amendment.

The board debated the usefulness and structure of the division’s capital-improvements (CIP) committee after several members said they felt committee reports had not always been shared promptly with the full board. The board agreed to require committee report-outs be sent to all members immediately after committee meetings and to add a standing agenda item for CIP reports; members also discussed appointing designees to ensure representation.

The board voted to create a standing policy committee and later nominated Miss Harrington and Miss Quinter to serve as the two board members on that committee. Several board members said the policy committee should coordinate closely with the legislative committee because many policy changes originate in the General Assembly.

Other business and votes included routine approvals, a $7,000 Title II supplemental appropriation, regulations governing staff sick leave (new regulation GCBDR with deletion of older regulations noted in the motion), and the adoption of Robert’s Rules of Order as the board’s parliamentary authority. The board designated Lisa Frady Lawhorn, chief financial officer, and Susan Aylor, executive director of special education and student services, as designees authorized to sign division documents in the superintendent’s absence through Jan. 31, 2026.

A point of contention at the meeting was a proposed policy on restroom access (policy JFCG). After extended discussion the board approved JFCG by voice vote, 4–1. Supporters said the policy clarified which restroom facilities are assigned by biological sex for general-purpose use; opponents said codifying the practice would politicize student issues and could invite legal risk. The board discussed whether recent federal Title IX guidance and court decisions affected the division’s obligations; members said their intent was to clarify local practice and address parental questions.

Several consent and action items passed by voice vote or roll call: an overnight DECA field trip was approved; the consent agenda (minutes, financial reports and monthly operating bills) passed; and a personnel agenda recommended in closed session (retirements, resignations, hires, transfers, salary adjustments and extracurricular coaching appointments) was approved after a closed session and a certification vote.

Votes at a glance
- Chair for 2025: Miss Anderson (declared chair after roll call; individual roll-call details not specified in the public record excerpt).
- Vice chair for 2025: Miss Dawson (roll-call vote recorded as passed, 5–0).
- Vice‑chair and clerk/deputy‑clerk appointments: Miss Byram approved as clerk; Miss Y. Dawson approved as deputy clerk (roll-call or voice approvals recorded).
- Policy JFCG (restroom access): approved by voice vote, 4–1.
- New regulation GCBDR (sick leave regulations) and deletion of GCBDR r1, GCBDR r2, GCBEA: approved by voice vote.
- Title II supplemental appropriation: $7,000 increase in revenue and expenses; motion passed.
- Robert’s Rules of Order adopted as the board’s parliamentary authority: motion passed by voice vote.
- Designation of signatories in superintendent’s absence (Lisa Frady Lawhorn and Susan Aylor through 01/31/2026): approved.
- Overnight DECA field trip (state leadership conference): approved.
- Personnel actions following closed session (retirements, resignations, employment, salary adjustments, extracurricular appointments): approved.

The board took further procedural votes (tabling or deferring several policy drafts for additional review and sending other items to committee). No public commenters were signed up for the meeting’s public-comment period.

Ending — Board members asked administration to return with draft policy language where needed and to place deferred items on future agendas or the next meeting’s consent calendar.","ORANGE COUNTY, Va. — During its Jan. 27 reorganizational meeting the Orange County School Board completed officer elections, confirmed administrative appointments and committee assignments, and voted on several procedural and policy matters.","actionData","errors"]

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Orange County Public Schools previews large pay-scale increases and new staff in FY26 budget outline

Orange County School Board elects officers, creates policy committee and approves several motions including new restroom policy