Bristol school superintendent asks city to maintain $9.1 million minimum local contribution in 2025 budget

David Scott, superintendent of Bristol Virginia Public Schools, presented the school division’s fiscal 2026 budget to the City Council on March 11, saying the request is based on the General Assembly conference committee budget rather than the governor’s proposal.

Scott told the council the division’s “vision is preparing all students to thrive in a dynamically challenging changing world,” and that the budget is built around six priorities: competitive compensation for staff, funding for Virginia Literacy Act professional development, stronger math and science instruction, sustaining attendance clerks and officers, onboarding and mentoring for newly hired staff, and capital improvements and security upgrades for school buildings.

Scott said the division expects the conference committee’s numbers to be signed into law and is asking the city to provide the required local effort of $9,100,000. He added that when the city’s share of school debt service ($322,500) is included, the adjusted local minimum contribution is $9,400,000 and the division is not requesting additional local funds above that minimum at this time.

Scott described specific line items in the proposal: two additional school buses (he said buses cost about $140,000 each), one additional bus driver, new maintenance and custodial positions, a middle-school secretarial position, continued investment in teacher induction and mentoring, and a math textbook adoption and some school devices. He said ESSER-era federal funding is declining, producing a federal-revenue decrease, while state revenue is expected to rise and local revenue reflects the proposed city contribution.

Council members thanked Scott for a conservative approach and pressed for details on capital planning. Scott said the division has contracted Thompson & Litton for a comprehensive five-year building study and expects a report within about 100 days; he listed likely capital needs such as water infiltration, foundation repairs, HVAC controls and improved door hardware for security upgrades.

Scott also said the division intends to provide step increases and a 3% increase on top of steps for certified staff and to shift slightly more premium share to employees to offset rising health-care costs (from roughly 99% single coverage previously to about 95% city share). He noted lead times for bus deliveries remain lengthy.

The presentation closed with a reminder that about 73% of the school division’s expenditures go to salaries and benefits, and Scott invited council questions. Council members praised the focus on teacher retention, bus replacement and building maintenance, and asked staff to share the Thompson & Litton findings when available.

Ending: The presentation provided council the division’s requested minimum contribution and the priorities that would be funded if the city adopts the same local effort included in the state conference budget; council reserved budget decisions for the city budget process later in the spring.