Superintendent presents FY26 budget with proposed 4.5% raise, program and staffing changes

Superintendent Dr. Vladeau presented the Gloucester County Public Schools proposed FY26 operating budget, recommending a 4.5% pay increase (described as a step plus cost-of-living adjustment), targeted student-support positions, and creation of a separate grants fund to improve transparency for federal and state grants.

Dr. Vladeau said the proposal is built on an enrollment estimate of roughly 4,700 students and noted the division faces multi-year enrollment declines, early graduations and other trends that reduce state funding. “If we have more students, we have more funding. If we have less students, we have less funding,” he said.

The presentation, led by Dr. Vladeau and finance staffers, included these key items: a recommended 4.5% salary increase with an estimated price tag of roughly $2.0 million; a $878,963 bonus line (as presented); steps to absorb an estimated 18 FTE teaching reductions through attrition compared with FY20 staffing levels; targeted additions of elementary behavior specialists and school-based social workers to improve student supports; a proposal to raise starting bus-driver pay to $20 per hour (estimated additional cost ~$30,010); and a recommendation to fund a grant-writer position to pursue external grants.

Finance staff reported projected reductions in state funding compared with the prior year and emphasized a budget gap that will depend on pending actions at the state level. The General Assembly’s proposed budget—if approved by the governor—would reduce the division’s projected shortfall. Finance staff said a separate grants fund would show an expected federal and state grant total near $3.0 million and would limit audit and compliance risk by separating those funds from the operating budget.

The budget discussion included health-insurance assumptions: staff reported an assumed ~18% increase in health insurance costs and described the district plan to absorb most of that increase while showing how different plans would affect employee paychecks. Officials said the recommended 4.5% raise would produce an average net increase for teachers of about 4.14% after benefits adjustments and that bus drivers would see roughly 5% on average once health-insurance changes are factored in.

Board members asked detailed questions about the math behind revenue estimates, the effect of early graduations on funding, truancy and enrollment counts, and whether program offerings or course sections would be cut. Dr. Vladeau and staff said proposed staffing changes are based on attrition only (retirements/resignations) and emphasized that program offerings would not be discontinued; rather, master-schedule efficiencies and sharing positions between schools are possible responses to lower enrollment.

Facilities director Mr. Hart reviewed long-range capital needs, listing priority HVAC replacements (Bodytote, Abingdon), bus-replacement cycles (about eight buses requested), roof and masonry repairs, and other multi-year projects. Board members pressed for clarity on recent roof repairs and ongoing warranty work at several schools; staff acknowledged continuing patch-and-repair work and noted that delays and building settlement can create new leak points.

Next steps: the board will hold a public hearing on March 12, a budget work session on March 14, must submit the school board budget to the county by April 1, and expects final operating budget adoption around May 19. Finance staff said the final gap will depend on the General Assembly and the governor’s actions.