Kanawha County Schools presents unchanged levy rates, previews FY26 budget; board to vote March 19

The Kanawha County Board of Education convened a statutory session at 3 p.m. to hear a reading of the district's proposed property-tax levy schedule and to review a preliminary budget for fiscal year 2025–26. "The purpose of this meeting is for me to read to you the schedule of proposed levy rates," Miss Meadows said during the session.

The proposed regular levy rates presented for FY 2025–26 are unchanged from the prior year: class 1 — 19.4; class 2 — 38.8; class 3 — 77.6; class 4 — 77.6. The district also said excess-levy rates established by the November 8, 2022 ballot will remain at the previously approved levels (class 1 — 21.91; class 2 — 43.82; class 3 — 87.64; class 4 — 87.64). Separately, the district said the public-library excess-levy is expected to generate $3,368,757 in net revenue for FY2026, with library levy rates listed as class 1 — 1.04; class 2 — 2.08; class 3 — 4.16; class 4 — 4.16.

Why it matters: Levy rates determine the local share of school funding and affect taxpayers and programs supported by excess levies, including the public library and a slate of projects described in the district's ballot. The board will vote on the proposed levy schedule at 12 noon on Wednesday, March 19, at 200 Elizabeth Street in Charleston so the approved schedule can be sent to the State Auditor and the West Virginia Department of Education.

Budget highlights and enrollment

Miss Meadows described the FY2025–26 budget as preliminary and noted the district has received only preliminary state aid computations. She said the budget document consolidates more than 8,000 individual line…