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

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.