Halifax County School Board adopts $83 million proposed budget, keeps $500,000 high‑school set‑aside; approves new facilities rules and program renewals

Halifax County Public Schools adopted a proposed fiscal‑year 2026 budget of roughly $83 million and approved several administrative measures at its March board meeting, including preserving a $500,000 carryover for the new high school and adopting revised rules for community use of district facilities.

The board’s vote approved the budget built from the General Assembly’s current funding “calc” tool; the plan includes a 3% employee pay increase, continued implementation of multi‑year compensation initiatives, and a carryover appropriation the division will use for capital, security and fleet needs. Board members debated whether $500,000 of that carryover should be explicitly reserved for the new high school; the motion to remove the reservation failed and the budget was adopted with the $500,000 left in place.

Why it matters: The budget vote sets the division’s request to the county and determines how the division will use state carryover funds the audit shows it is holding. The board also approved several operational contracts and policies that affect daily school operations and public access to school facilities.

Most important decisions

- Budget adoption and carryover: The board approved the FY26 proposal that Doctor Buckley presented as the division’s current plan based on the General Assembly numbers. The budget shows state, local and federal revenue lines and includes carryover money the division has held for capital and program use. The board retained a $500,000 line item described in discussion as related to the new high school project rather than removing it from the advertised request. The board’s discussion centered on whether to preserve flexibility for capital projects or earmark the money for the high school; supporters of keeping the money intact argued the division needs protected pots to finish multi‑year capital projects.

- Facilities use policy and fee schedule: The board approved revisions to the district’s community use regulation and fee schedule and agreed to a 60‑day review after implementation. As part of the final action the board directed staff to remove the proposed fees for certain outdoor facilities (tennis courts and batting cages at the high school and middle school) and the walking track and to eliminate a four‑hour minimum charge; those items were taken out of the tabled fee schedule and the updated policy will be re‑examined in 60 days. The board also authorized centralizing payment processing at the central office rather than handling payments at individual schools and directed staff to roll out an online reservation and payment portal on a trial basis.

- Facility manage…