Virginia Beach superintendent unveils $994.9 million proposed operating budget and six-year CIP; Prince Anne High replacement prioritized

Superintendent Donald Robertson presented the school division's proposed operating budget — the superintendent's estimate of needs (SEON) — for fiscal year 2025–26, a $994,914,516 plan that the division said would increase operating revenue by about $30.1 million from the current year.

The proposal, presented at the Virginia Beach City Public Schools board meeting on Feb. 11, 2025, includes a six-year capital improvement program (CIP) that moves the replacement of Princess Anne High School up the priority list and outlines a plan to raise annual debt service from about $50 million to roughly $80 million over six years by adding approximately $6 million in debt service per year.

The SEON allocates revenue sources as follows: federal revenues of $14.7 million, state revenues of $481.8 million, and a revenue-sharing contribution from the City of Virginia Beach of $493.9 million, producing the $994.9 million total. "This document reflects months of collaborative discussions among staff and presentations focused on our shared priorities as a school division," Robertson said during the presentation.

Why this matters: the division said the budget emphasizes competitive compensation and maintaining aging facilities. Division leaders told the board rising health-care claims, inflation and deferred maintenance require additional funding steps now to avoid larger costs later.

Key operating and personnel items - Compensation: the draft includes $15.2 million for teacher pay scale adjustments (2% starting salary and 1.5% step) and $10.7 million for unified pay-scale adjustments (3% entry pay and step increases by years of service). The SEON stresses compensation as a top priority to recruit and retain staff. - Employer health insurance: staff proposed increasing the employer contribution by $8.0 million to address higher claims, plan migrations and rising pharmacy and high-cost claimant expenses. - Staffing additions: the proposed operating budget includes funding for 19.8 English-as-a-second-language teachers ($1.925 million), 12 special-education teacher assistant positions ($529,702), and staffing for newly expanded CTE pathways including one welding instructor for Renaissance Academy ($107,793). - Other items: $750,000 to restore school bus replacement funding, $683,760 for hiring 15 security assistants for remaining elementary schools, and $117,478 for a multimedia communications technician in light of city TV service changes.

Capital program highlights - Prince Anne High School: staff presented an illustrative estimate of about $306 million for a replacement project and said appropriations to date would rise to roughly $177 million in the proposed CIP as the project moves earlier in the schedule. Jack Freeman, chief operating officer, said the earliest bid date shown in the draft is 2027 but called that date tentative. - Tri Campus modifications: the plan preserves $27.7 million in appropriations for possible additions ("wings") at two tri-campus schools to move students out of Betty F. Williams Elementary if needed. - Debt-service plan: to fund maintenance and the Prince Anne project over time, the proposed CIP would hold year one debt service near current levels and add about $6 million per year, reaching an approximate $80 million annual debt-service level by year six. - Maintenance emphasis: the CIP increases annual allocations for HVAC, roofing and other deferred maintenance and funds upgrades such as stop-arm cameras on buses and ADA athletic-site improvements.

Board members asked for more detail and for regular updates. CFO Crystal Pate urged the public and board to note that personnel and fringe benefits account for about 86.1% of the operating budget, leaving limited discretionary funds. Freeman cautioned that the $6 million-per-year debt-service increase is a multi-year path that will be updated annually based on revenues and city decisions.

Next steps: the division said the board will hold budget workshops Feb. 18, Feb. 25 (public hearing) and March 4, with anticipated board approval on March 11. Budget documents are planned to be posted online and tentatively presented to city council in April; the city council and the school division expect final city approval by May 15.