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School board adopts revised FY26 budget with larger pay package, adds reversion and true‑up funds to capital and operating plans
Summary
The Norfolk school board voted to adopt a revised fiscal 2026 operating and capital budget that increases average pay adjustments to about 4.5% for employees, expands summer-school funding and directs one‑time reversion and excess‑revenue allocations to capital projects and targeted operating needs.
The Norfolk school board on June 18 adopted a revised fiscal 2026 operating and capital budget after hearing staff recommendations that used additional city and state revenue to increase employee compensation and fund one‑time priorities.
Chief financial staff told the board the city had identified $3.05 million more local revenue than previously estimated and the state budget included about $10.3 million in additional SOQ‑related funding. After a reduction in the expected reversion balance, the division presented an available net increase of roughly $9.83 million and recommended how to allocate it across pay, summer programming and one‑time items.
Budget director Crystal Skinner explained that the board’s revision raises the average compensation adjustment to about 4.5% across salary tables (with staff saying no table will receive less than that). The division also recommended using a $2.69 million state “compensation supplement” payment toward employee bonuses or inclusion in the broader pay adjustments; staff recommended a pay‑rate approach so that employees at the top of paid scales receive raises comparable to others rather than only a one‑time bonus.
Mister Jenkins, presenting the monthly financials, said operating collections and expenditures through May show standard seasonal timing differences and that sales‑tax receipts are recorded in arrears. He also noted the division received roughly $2.69 million from the commonwealth that can be used for employee compensation and proposed that the bonus be distributed in December if approved.
The adopted budget also increases funding for summer school ($1.11 million), adds funding for additional special‑education paraprofessionals, expands the three‑year‑old preschool program and covers business‑application and insurance true‑ups. On the capital side, city council revised the district’s five‑year capital plan and reduced the total allocated for the Maury rebuild; the board accepted a revised capital program of approximately $202.95 million over the planning window, with $16.45 million in capital projects planned for FY26.
The board passed two related resolutions requesting city council appropriate the school share of FY24 reversion funds (roughly $6.46 million reported in the audit materials) and a true‑up allocation the city identified as $3.95 million. The reappropriation and true‑up requests are one‑time funds intended for capital and operating nonrecurring uses; staff recommended items such as school technology, musical instruments, student‑record digitization and targeted safety or equipment purchases.
Several trustees asked for follow‑up detail on the new pay computations, the number of employees at top‑of‑scale affected by previously proposed top‑scale adjustments, and how any future severance or personnel‑related payouts would affect the operating budget; staff said human resources and budget offices will finalize contract language and implement adjustments during the summer payroll cycle.
The board approved the amended FY26 budget and the two appropriation requests; the documents will go to Norfolk City Council for formal appropriation to the division.
