[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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",[32,76,88],{"_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",6116047,"mediaKeyId","2734724-79e0f09a3d2f95ab7e66627338f6d8d0","parentId",2734724,"title","Alumni, teachers and community members raise safety, facility and workplace concerns during public comments","audioSeconds",831,"startMs",3094000,"endMs",3925000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2734724-79e0f09a3d2f95ab7e66627338f6d8d0&start=3094&end=3925","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2734724-79e0f09a3d2f95ab7e66627338f6d8d0/thumbnail_3094000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6116047/Virginia/Alumni-teachers-and-community-members-raise-safety-facility-and-workplace-concerns-during-public-comments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116047-f1c91d3e7f8fc3d54d31a649c5689a3a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775932423&Signature=BhZtD-lO8vBSoOw1pmQvuXzheLK4JyPAKeNNF1kX2Oc71nWvFTNvkMS3DNDlhJQ0Y48Ri38dkh-Hncm1L~n9buqSw8~3JCedOiRpG-OmeRWbjlIl7RS~So2W5-ElQxxuBoGg4nPolqtDuSkH8qfmfRjusU3Lsr4D3vrqXQExMebhsVdUEWuTQFL2uX9FMEwJeWm7F6QH7u03zZ3caQVG0ZDlyGTMDSexYXKwkZ4-DP3alx7Q4okXsaefzRZJZZoNEUzTCt72xm6SpW9pg0hrAwkj8Ee2SgN9cYFQ26VbKNZclQKPZS3Ip4Qjj3P1JsIUI93fvFmDwuMh4AamQoA2yA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Norfolk City Public School","date","2025-03-20T15:12:09Z","article","Several speakers used the March 19 Norfolk Public Schools business meeting public‑comment period to press the board on school facilities, safety and staff workplace climate.

Yvonne Wagner, speaking for the Unified Alumni Group of Booker T. Washington, raised multiple facility and safety concerns at Booker T. Washington High School, including frequent fire-department responses that disrupt instruction; questions about why the media center was recently re-opened; low enrollment and busing patterns, which she said raise equity concerns; ongoing mold and rat problems; and unresolved questions about asbestos remediation. Wagner asked for documentation that mold and asbestos issues have been addressed and for the board to consider those concerns when finalizing the district budget.

Several other alumni and community members echoed the concern that Booker T. Washington’s legacy and program offerings should be preserved and strengthened; Jacqueline L. Scott told the board she and other alumni will continue to advocate for equitable opportunities and the school’s legacy.

Teacher workplace climate and accreditation

Rakita Robinson, a first-grade teacher and member of the National Norfolk Federation of Teachers, told the board that teachers have raised concerns about a “toxic environment” in some schools and said that workplace climate has affected staff morale and the district’s accreditation efforts. Robinson proposed several questions for the board, including what steps teachers can take if they feel targeted, what resources exist for harassment or discrimination complaints, and how communication can be improved among staff.

Compensation and transparency concerns

Citizen Liz Albert told the board she supports higher pay for board members in principle but criticized what she called a lack of transparency when the board discussed raising member compensation at a March 12 retreat. Albert said the retreat included a vote to raise board member pay from $3,000 to $25,000 and the chair’s pay to $27,000, and she argued the change should be reconsidered in a fully public forum; she cited comparative figures for neighboring school districts (Virginia Beach and Chesapeake) and questioned tying board pay to city‑council compensation. The board did not take public action on a compensation change during the March 19 meeting; Albert urged the board to bring any future vote back into a publicly noticed meeting with opportunity for comment.

Other public comments

Retiree Catherine Tyler (Tower) and Diane Bacon of Delta Sigma Theta highlighted district successes and community events: they recognized a local superintendent receiving a regional award and promoted a sneaker donation event at Richard Bowling Elementary, respectively.

What the board said and next steps

Board members accepted the public comments and did not announce immediate policy actions in response during the meeting. Several alumni and community speakers requested documentation (mold/asbestos remediation records, curriculum materials for STEAM, and enrollment/busing maps) and called for those materials to be provided to the public or to the board for review. Board staff agreed to follow up on documentation requests where appropriate and the speakers asked the board to consider facility and equity concerns as it finalizes the budget.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","School Board Business Meeting: 3-19-25","oneSentenceSummary","During public comments at the March 19 meeting Norfolk residents and school employees urged board attention to conditions and enrollment at Booker T. Washington High School, alleged workplace toxicity, and transparency around a proposed pay increase for board members discussed at a recent retreat.","taxTitle","NORFOLK CITY PBLC SCHS, School Districts, Virginia","taxId",14513,"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},6116054,"NPS presents trio of measures tracking advanced-studies diplomas; math, science and foreign language gaps cited",2004,59000,2063000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2734724-79e0f09a3d2f95ab7e66627338f6d8d0&start=59&end=2063","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2734724-79e0f09a3d2f95ab7e66627338f6d8d0/thumbnail_59000.jpg","/articles/6116054/Virginia/NPS-presents-trio-of-measures-tracking-advanced-studies-diplomas-math-science-and-foreign-language-gaps-cited","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116054-dc4adeae0dbe990fb8f167f2a86a0b09/orig.mp4?Expires=1775932423&Signature=NLxHxbfM7DMfpD99VjY4yPwxBmQNeu-Ks9-aGAMung92DNKWm-kR3Mly0eHhuvRN2BfdXuUQp0XoXO8bCmMpzZThV6o7A7cn0S49tKmv3EZgsmZkTOFBZ8Pvha-vSIiaNSDZL4rUkG575Uu4GEzmH0Ksa0DXYP~uKsLnE5pLgKkbh67qhBD2PzCA4BV8fobL9s2ksa4I7JSmDG1N2ISQqE51jIBzJ3f-ZJrToYgvOpvIe7mCuWuLAz~9aMQqbKfVPkNZGfdv2yfQN0G36j7HEbSI16P9BB3OKA~nCajnHtc4EC-wUKfcViv~OzgfoFBb6SSOr1OAU0aMN43yUZVniw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Norfolk Public Schools staff reviewed three interim measures tied to Board Goal 5 at a March 19 school board workshop, reporting that current student cohorts are off track to meet board targets for graduates earning the advanced studies diploma.

Staff told the board the district’s average for advanced studies diplomas was 35.3% at the time of the presentation, while the state average stood at 51.5%. For the 2027 graduating cohort (the district’s tracked cohort), staff said the board’s target was 47% and that the cohort had experienced a 1.2 point decline from the first to second quarter of the school year; the presenter said the cohort’s highest possible share by year end, given current course enrollments, was 47%.

Why it matters: The advanced studies diploma is the board’s proxy for access to high-level coursework; the presentation framed the objective as a long-range goal that depends on course selection made earlier in students’ careers.

Key findings and context

- Cohort baselines and targets: Staff reported the goal for the 2027 cohort is 47% on track by the end of school year 2024–25. The 2027 cohort’s on‑track percentage fell 1.2 points between Q1 and Q2 but remained 1.4 points higher than the same time last year.

- Course areas with highest failure rates: Presenters identified mathematics and science courses as having the highest failure rates for the tracked cohorts. Staff also noted a drop below the program’s initial data point of 8.9 points for the 2027 cohort, in part because students without sufficient foreign-language credits are excluded from the metric.

- Foreign-language requirement: One measure requires a minimum of three years of language study for the advanced studies diploma; staff said students who are not enrolled in a language course or who lack a completed credit fall off the metric.

Interventions described

Staff outlined both short- and long-term strategies: school counselors are using Q2 failure data to identify and prioritize at‑risk students for tutoring and early‑intervention meetings with families; district tutors and Menom (Edmentum) courseware are being used for targeted remediation; counselors are holding one‑on‑one meetings and advising students about diploma types starting as early as sixth grade; and the district has expanded MajorClarity (an academic and career-planning platform) into fourth and fifth grades.

Staff said departments are providing targeted professional development, refining high-quality instructional materials, and increasing literacy integration and hands-on learning across content areas to boost rigor and engagement.

Board requests and data gaps

Board members asked staff for more granular data by school, demographic subgroup and specific high-school courses with the highest failure rates. Presenters said the district conducts monthly data meetings with principals and school leadership and that they can provide breakdowns by school and subgroup upon board request; staff also noted some past internal decisions limited the amount of demographic data in the public report but that school-level and subgroup reports are used in internal school data meetings.

Staff repeatedly emphasized that the goal is long term and that many students now counted in cohorts had already made course selections before the goal was set, limiting near-term changes. Staff said the transition to a 4x4 schedule may give students additional opportunities to catch up in language coursework.

Quotes from the meeting

- \"The goal is for our students to meet or exceed the state average by the end of the 20 six‑twenty 7 school year,\" the presenter said while describing the board target and current district and state averages.

- On remediation strategies: \"School counselors have identified and prioritized at‑risk students using the Q2 failure data to flag students failing multiple courses and facilitating response to intervention using tutoring and Menom courseware and by engaging families in early intervention meetings to prevent students from continuing to struggle,\" the presenter said.

What’s next

Board members asked staff to provide a detailed breakdown of failure rates by school and by demographic subgroup and to supply data on which specific high‑school math and science courses show the highest failure rates. Staff agreed to return with more detailed school‑level and subgroup data and said they will continue monthly data meetings with principals to tailor interventions.","At a March 19 workshop the Norfolk Public Schools staff reviewed three interim measures tied to Board Goal 5—raising the percent of graduates earning advanced studies diplomas—showing cohorts off track largely because of struggles in mathematics, science and foreign-language enrollment.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6116059,"Norfolk school board approves $1.675 billion FY26 operating budget; committee appointments move forward",78,4706000,4784000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2734724-79e0f09a3d2f95ab7e66627338f6d8d0&start=4706&end=4784","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2734724-79e0f09a3d2f95ab7e66627338f6d8d0/thumbnail_4706000.jpg","/articles/6116059/Virginia/Norfolk-school-board-approves-1675-billion-FY26-operating-budget-committee-appointments-move-forward","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6116059-35482324db41ca3faa5a5786499bff6f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775932423&Signature=OgpC0F09cY8a8ATIKa4t5bC-Cp1nhgUSZjwWHoAwphleDCZeCDH3OL5J0H2ltQzMQUePAPiGtT2gem-dA5WTYfoeZksJPOG~MN2iKN4s3eGTI-v-zrZFURN-~2G96TgZEVqxmWiYiJng0YW5yHZZVYNoqhxtfkZ4PMA~qIc7ZR8ghtjR4Dvg~ImmE~5boQBprfKmMrVoCP~~c6t07ZLIt4~DJ3k75AdJ7HX9eBbPEj3cPCmHgOeLtVFj7WTCCwcj-HzEatg4MPEr43Nb2SWK4pTsHYCSnECAgXSSAHENzMQw9NiDv~10JwsV~40sG4lDg2IJ4BjLoc1RC4dn3gf~3g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Norfolk Public Schools school board voted March 19 to adopt a $1,674,902,725 operating budget for fiscal year 2026 and approved several administrative items, including appointments to an educational facilities planning steering committee after temporarily waiving a regulation governing committee appointments.

The superintendent presented the proposed FY26 budget as part of a combined package that included a $450 million general fund, a $26.9 million school nutrition fund and a $253 million capital improvement program; total all-funds spending shown to the board was $772.9 million. The board later recorded a larger total of $1,674,902,725 during the motion to adopt the operating budget.

The board adopted the budget in a roll-call vote. The tally recorded on the record was: Bassin — Nay; Buffalo — Aye; Inge — Aye; Martin — Aye; Holston — Aye; Thomas — Aye; DeKalajero (Takalajero on the record) — Aye. A separate board member announced they would vote against the budget, citing insufficient evidence that the proposal would meet the board’s stated nonnegotiable priorities and equitable-distribution goals.

Nut graf: The vote gives the district a spending plan for the coming year but exposed divisions on the board about whether the package sufficiently directs resources to hard-to-staff schools and other priorities. The board also handled routine financial business and moved forward with community appointments to its long-range facilities planning group.

Board actions and related votes at the meeting included several recorded motions and roll-call outcomes.

Votes at a glance

- FY26 operating budget (motion amount stated in meeting: $1,674,902,725): Moved by Miss Moore Buffalo; seconded by Mister Inge. Outcome: approved. Roll call: Bassin — Nay; Buffalo — Aye; Inge — Aye; Martin — Aye; Holston — Aye; Thomas — Aye; Takalajero — Aye.

- Monthly financial report (February, subject to audit): Motion to accept the report as presented, subject to audit. Moved by Mister Inge; seconded by Doctor Martin. Outcome: approved (recorded as unanimous in roll call: Bassin Aye; Buffalo Aye; Inge Aye; Martin Aye; Olson/Holston Aye; Thomas Aye; Takalajero Aye).

- Consent agenda: Motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. Moved by Miss Moore Buffalo; seconded by Doctor Martin. Outcome: approved by roll call (all Aye recorded).

- Suspension of board regulation BCF‑R (appointment procedure): Motion to suspend regulation BCF‑R for the meeting so appointments could be voted on immediately. Moved by Doctor Martin; seconded by Mister Paulson. Outcome: approved by roll call (majority Aye).

- Educational Facilities Planning Steering Committee appointments: Motion to accept the list of candidates for the steering committee. Moved by Mister Paulson; seconded by Doctor Martin. Outcome: approved by roll call (majority Aye).

Other procedural actions

- The board moved into closed executive session earlier in the meeting under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act to discuss personnel, student matters and legal counsel briefings. The motion cited subsection(s) of §2.2‑3711 of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

Budget and finance context

Finance staff presented the February financial statement covering July through February transactions recorded on or before March 12. General fund collections for the first eight months totaled $294 million, about 63% of the general fund budget; spending and encumbrances through the same period were reported at about 64.6%. Staff reported actual revenue collections were $7.7 million less than expenditures and encumbrances at that point. Board members asked for follow-up on several line items, including employee benefits in preschool/nonregular day school accounts and corporate/credit-card payments; staff said further detail would be supplied.

What’s next

With the FY26 operating budget approved, the district will move into the new fiscal year with the adopted spending plan. The newly approved members of the educational facilities planning steering committee will begin work as specified by the superintendent’s office and the committee charter. Board members requested additional financial detail on several line items and asked staff to follow up on the requested information.","At a March 19, 2025 business meeting the Norfolk Public Schools (NPS) school board approved the fiscal year 2026 operating budget and voted to appoint members to an educational facilities planning steering committee after suspending a board regulation. The board also accepted the monthly financial report and approved the consent agenda.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Alumni, teachers and community members raise safety, facility and workplace concerns during public comments

NPS presents trio of measures tracking advanced-studies diplomas; math, science and foreign language gaps cited

Norfolk school board approves $1.675 billion FY26 operating budget; committee appointments move forward