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Roanoke council adopts revised school funding policy, level-funds schools at FY25 amount
Summary
The Roanoke City Council adopted a revised school funding policy May 12 that levels funding for Roanoke City Public Schools at the fiscal year 2025 amount, recognizing a funding gap between the schools' needs-based request and available city resources.
Roanoke City Council on May 12 adopted a resolution amending the city's school funding policy and providing level funding to Roanoke City Public Schools at the fiscal year 2025 amount for FY26.
Councilors voted 5-1 to adopt the resolution; Councilor Hagen was the sole no vote. Councilor Boleson said the council would close the funding gap by reappropriating $6.7 million from the schools' unassigned fund balance and that the council was not making "large cuts" to schools.
"We are funding the full request of Superintendent White as she presented it to the council," Boleson said during the meeting, explaining the council's approach to school funding in light of city fiscal pressures.
Councilor Hagen said he opposed the resolution because the change could lead to cuts at the school level and he urged earlier notification to the schools so administrators could plan. "When we are up here and we are allocating that money that will result in cuts ... I think that we need to be cognizant of that," Hagen said.
Why it matters: Council members said the city's overall fiscal condition and the newly reported deferred maintenance obligations required difficult choices for the coming year. The resolution amends the school funding policy (initially dated May 9, 2011) and clarifies adjustments tied to level funding for FY26.
Process and next steps: The council said it will continue conversations with the school division as the school board prepares its budget, and agreed to revisit the funding policy over the next year. Mayor Cobb and staff said council leadership will meet with school trustees in the coming month to clarify allocations and the use of fund balance to close gaps.
Formal action: - Resolution amending the school funding policy and providing level funding for FY26: roll-call vote Nash Aye, Vollison Aye, Powers Aye, Hagen Nay, Vice Mayor McGuire Aye, Mayor Cobb Aye; outcome: adopted.
Ending: Councilors requested quarterly reviews and committed to further meetings with school leadership to refine the policy and monitor impacts.
