Portsmouth superintendent asks city for $14.8 million to correct teacher pay compression; net city ask $9.4 million

Superintendent Dr. Bracey of Portsmouth Public Schools asked the Portsmouth City Council and school board during a joint public work session for $14.8 million to correct long-running salary compression and to fund several staff additions for the 2025–26 school year.

The request, presented March 2025 as part of the superintendent’s estimate of needs, responds to what Bracey called a multi-year lag in step increases and local pay adjustments that has left experienced teachers earning near the same as recent hires. "Tonight, I'm making my formal request for the $14.8 million to address the salary compression to our pay scales," Bracey told the council and board.

Why it matters: The division says correcting compression is necessary to retain veteran teachers and remain competitive with neighboring districts in Hampton Roads, where officials said experienced teachers can often earn $10,000–$12,000 more by moving a short commute away. School leaders linked staffing experience directly to instructional quality and to the division’s accreditation measures.

Details of the request and budget context The division presented a multi-fund budget totaling about $295.4 million, with a general fund of roughly $232.4 million. Superintendent…