Stafford school board adopts $503.1 million FY26 funding request after debate over teacher pay, support staff and health benefits

The Stafford County School Board on Thursday unanimously adopted a $503,109,363 FY26 local funding request to present to the Board of Supervisors, increasing the district’s ask to pursue full phase 4 of the teacher pay scale and advancing support staff to phase 3.

The board’s funding request — amended during the meeting to add money to the support-staff scale — also reflects projected state revenue increases and growing local costs. Board and staff speakers repeatedly cautioned the total still depends on the state budget being signed and on the supervisors’ final appropriation.

Why it matters: The vote formalizes the school system’s highest-priority funding request ahead of the county budget process and follows weeks of public comment pressing for more competitive pay for teachers and support staff. School leaders said the request is intended to keep Stafford competitive with neighboring divisions and to address rising health-insurance and mandated staffing costs.

The board began the meeting hearing a detailed mid‑year financial update from finance staff. "We have an overall projected surplus in the operating fund of approaching $4,000,000," Mr. Fulmer said during that presentation, referring to mid‑year revenue and expenditure projections. Staff cautioned, however, that a major pressure point is rising…