WJCC proposes $13.9 million operating-budget increase for FY26, prioritizing staff and student supports

Williamsburg, Va. — Administrators for Williamsburg-James City County Schools presented a proposed FY26 operating budget to the joint body that would increase local funding requests by about $13.9 million over last year, driven largely by staffing needs and compensation adjustments, division leaders said.

Renee Ewing and members of the administration outlined the superintendent’s proposal, which they said is based on the governor’s amendments to the 2024–26 state budget and on recommendations from a compensation study by Bolton. The proposal balances investment needs tied to the Elevate to ’28 strategic plan with limits on local resources, administrators said.

Why it matters: 87% of the division’s operating budget is personnel costs, so proposed increases center on maintaining staff, meeting new state-mandated staffing models and beginning a multi-year implementation of the Bolton compensation recommendations.

Highlights of the proposal and supporting details: - Total request and context: The administration said the superintendent’s request is nearly $13,900,000 above last year’s request; the division calculated a larger “true budget of need” at about $21,000,000 but scaled the proposal back to what it called a responsible initial request. - Mandatory increases and state mandates: The budget includes roughly $3.3 million classified as mandatory increases (14.5 FTEs) for items such as LEAP staffing, special education tuition and utilities. The division noted the General Assembly’s approved items (for example, elimination of the cap on funded support positions and an add-on for special ed basic aid) could affect final state support estimates. - LEAP (English learner) staffing: Under a new state staffing model the division estimates LEAP allocations must increase from 22 to about 32 teachers; administrators recommended rounding to 32 LEAP positions to meet new ratios and cited that Level 1 and Level 2 students require the most daily contact. - Special education: The division reported a rising special-education population and showed a five-year spending trend. For FY24 the presentation listed state and federal special education funding at about $8,000,000 and local funding around $18,700,000 (division slide figures). The division said local funding bears roughly 70% of special-education costs, with 21% state and about 9% federal in the division’s breakdown. - Compensation and Bolton study: The budget includes a required 3% salary increase driven by the state budget and an estimated $2,500,000 to begin implementing Bolton’s recommendations. Bolton’s full recommended salary changes were estimated at $7,600,000 (salaries only) and about $9,600,000 including benefits if implemented in a single year. The proposal would direct about $1.9 million to adjust teacher pay toward regional competitiveness and about $600,000 to unify support staff scales and raise minimum hourly pay to $15.50 for many employees. - Health insurance: The proposal assumes a 15% increase in healthcare costs, which the division plans to share 70% (division) / 30% (employees). Division leaders said an ongoing procurement (RFP) might reduce the final healthcare increase. - School-based staffing requests: The proposal lists additional classroom teachers to maintain class-size ratios, one high-school counselor, a second assistant principal for the Bright Beginnings Pre-K program (to support two pre-K centers), two additional elementary gifted resource teachers, six additional paraprofessionals for self-contained classrooms and nine teacher-assist positions to strengthen behavior supports at elementary schools. - Behavioral support and restorative programming: The division asked to convert some grant-funded elementary security positions to operating funds (matching funds may be required) and to sustain four positions for a secondary “reset” program in a restorative center that provides in-person instruction for students considered for short-term suspension. - Other items: The proposal includes funding to pay AP exam fees for all students enrolled in AP courses (administrators estimated about $340,000), expanded summer school funding previously supported by grants, and modest additions for supplies and benefit-administration services.

Administration emphasized the proposal is a starting point. The division said favorable action by the General Assembly and finalization of the healthcare procurement could reduce the local request to about $11.9 million. Administrators also identified numerous requested FTEs that were not included in this initial proposal (for example, middle-school assistant principals, elementary instructional coaches and additional custodial supervision), noting those items were deferred for affordability.

Quotes: Renee Ewing: “This is a data driven estimate of what is required to provide the highest quality education possible to the children of our community.” The administration added, “87% of our operating budget is people.”

Decision status: The presentation was informational; the joint bodies did not vote on the FY26 budget proposal during the joint session. Administrators said the school board would act on the budget at upcoming meetings and that local funding partners will consider requests as part of their separate budget cycles.

Votes at a glance (formal action on the public agenda during the joint meeting): - City Council motion to adjourn: “I move that we adjourn.” Motion seconded. Roll call recorded as: Miss Williams — Aye; Miss Ramsey — Aye; Miss Tenshier — Aye; Vice Mayor Jen — Aye; Mayor Ponds — Aye. Outcome: approved; council adjourned.

Ending: Administrators asked funding partners and the public to note the proposal is an initial request tied to strategic priorities and to expect updated numbers once the state budget is finalized and the health-insurance procurement completes.