WJCC board trims FY26 requests after local funding falls short; multiple consent items approved

The Williamsburg-James City County School Board on Monday reviewed recommended reductions to its proposed fiscal year 2026 operating budget after local funding proposals left a multi‑million-dollar gap.

Acting Superintendent Dr. Keever told the board staff had prioritized compensation and supports for students with the greatest need when assembling the initial “budget of need,” but that local budget documents produced a $7.3 million shortfall relative to the board’s request.

Finance director Renee Ewing reviewed recommended adjustments that would reduce expenditures by about $4.565 million, narrowing the gap. Those changes include trimming some position requests (from 48.85 FTEs requested to an administration recommendation of 13.85 FTEs), reducing certain program additions such as AP exam funding and summer school sites, and increasing budgeted attrition savings. After the proposed reductions, the remaining shortfall was $2.8 million before expected state aid.

Ewing told the board the General Assembly’s adopted budget is expected to provide additional state revenue; the division estimated a likely range of $750,000 to $1.9 million. Factoring that in would reduce the final gap to between about $815,000 and $2.0 million, which would require…