Manassas superintendent unveils FY‑26 proposed budget centered on pay increases; $1M cut to intervention services

The Manassas City Public Schools superintendent on Feb. 25 presented a balanced FY‑26 proposed operating budget that prioritizes staff compensation while trimming some student support services.

The proposal, presented by Director of Finance Taft Kelly and introduced by Superintendent Dr. Casada Newman, would raise operating revenue about $4.7 million and proposes a minimum 5.5% increase for eligible staff, a new longevity step (step 31) for long‑serving instructional and support employees, and additional strategic investments totaling roughly $212,000. "This year's strategic investments or this year's budget focuses primarily on 2 strategic investments: quality workforce and inclusive and collaborative learning environment," Kelly said during the presentation.

The nut graf: the division is prioritizing pay to make salaries more regionally competitive but balances higher personnel costs with cuts and accounting adjustments; one notable reduction is a proposed $1.0 million cut to contracted intervention services, and the budget lists several unfunded needs that could be added only if additional revenue becomes available.

Budget details and tradeoffs The proposed operating budget package totals about $151 million across operating, grant and debt service funds, the presentation said. State aid is the largest revenue source (about half the funding), followed by the city appropriation (about 42%). Kelly said MCPS spends about $18,076 per pupil under a regional comparison. Enrollment was reported at about 7,689 students, with roughly 71% identified as Hispanic and 55% of those described as English learners.

Key quantified items in the proposal include: - Compensation increases and related benefits totaling about $5.2 million for FY‑26, including health insurance rate rises tied to payroll increases. - A minimum 5.5% salary increase for eligible staff effective July 1, 2025, plus a new longevity step for instructional and support staff intended to better reward long service (estimated average increase for instructional staff of about 3.5% at the highest step). Kelly said the five‑year cumulative increase for all staff is about 28.59% (including prior years and the proposed FY‑26 increase). - Salary lapse savings of about $974,000 from retirements and replacement at lower entry steps. - A $1.0 million reduction to intervention services that had previously been provided via contract with a vendor (University Instructors); the cut was presented as a tradeoff made to preserve positions while increasing salaries. - The city’s total contribution to the division was described as roughly $61,000,000 to $63,800,000 (slides noted both figures in context of overall revenue and capital/debt allocations).

Unfunded and priority items Kelly listed unfunded priorities the division would like to add if additional revenue becomes available: an additional 1.5%–1.7% salary increase; start‑up funding for an alternative education program (roughly $2 million to start plus recurring costs); additional ESOL teachers to match rising English learner counts; restoration of the $1.0 million in intervention services; and adding diesel buses.

Public comment and board questions Sarah Cook, introduced as a Manassas City resident and teacher, urged the board to prioritize equity in employee pay and highlighted research on pay and teacher retention. "A licensed educator with a bachelor's degree and 10 years of experience in MCPS would still be classified as low income according to the HUD's 2024 limits," Cook said, urging differentiated allocations to address disparities across job categories.

Board members pressed staff on several items: which positions are covered by state Standards of Quality (SOQ) funding (Kelly: the governor’s proposed 3% increase applies only to SOQ positions), how the longevity step would be applied (Kelly: an added step 31 for those at the top of the scale for instructional and support staff), and what intervention services encompass (Kelly: the $1.0 million funded contracted provider work that supports after‑school or supplemental intervention and that reducing it could require adding positions or reducing services).

Process and timeline Kelly reviewed the budget timeline: presentation on Feb. 25; budget work session on Feb. 27; public hearing on March 11; another work session on March 18; expected school board adoption on March 25; and a presentation of the school board budget to City Council on March 26. He noted uncertainty in final state revenue timing and possible additional state amendments that could add about $2.1 million in the House/Senate proposals.

What the board did and did not decide tonight The board received the superintendent's proposed FY‑26 budget and asked questions; no final adoption vote occurred. The presentation produced requests for additional detail from staff and flagged unfunded priorities for further discussion in upcoming work sessions and the public hearing.

Ending: next steps Superintendent Newman and the finance team will provide additional detail at the Feb. 27 work session and the March 11 public hearing; the board expects continued conversation with the city regarding additional local funding. Public comment and board questions emphasized pay equity, the tradeoffs of prioritizing salaries over contracted intervention services, and the division’s capacity to add programs only if new revenue is identified.