Page County Schools present preliminary budget: $2.3M CIP ask, recommends 4% raise plus step; projects gap if all requests funded

Page County Public Schools officials presented a preliminary fiscal-year budget showing $1.4 million in additional state revenue under the governor’s amended proposal but a larger set of local spending requests that would create a shortfall if all items are funded.

Administrators told the school board they plan to ask the Page County Board of Supervisors for $2.3 million in one-time capital funding (Fund 2) for prioritized projects, and recommended a 4% compensation increase plus step movement for staff as the division’s preferred pay action this year. The division’s initial estimate of all requested new staff and increased operating costs totals about $3.7 million, producing a preliminary gap of roughly $2.2 million under current revenue assumptions.

Why it matters: school budgets are the division’s main annual policy choice and determine whether the division can add reading and math specialists, a data specialist, a floating nurse, maintenance trades capacity and other staff requested by principals. Board members were asked to prioritize staffing requests so leaders can present a narrower, fundable package if state or local dollars fall short.

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