Berkeley County Schools begins FY26 budget work with focus on timeline, reserves and board initiatives

BERKELEY COUNTY, W.Va. — Berkeley County Schools finance staff opened the district’s first round of fiscal year 2026 budget work sessions on procedural timing and an early look at projections, saying the general fund balance is expected to decline and asking board members to submit project priorities by March 1.

Finance staff member Mr. Butts told trustees, “Tonight, we're gonna start with the 1st of many budget work sessions for fiscal year 26,” and presented a timeline that includes employee notification windows in early March, statutory levy hearings in mid- and late March and April, a proposed final budget at the May 5 board meeting, and a public hearing May 19 before the district submits the budget to the state by May 30.

The district is still waiting for several key state and county inputs that affect the budget timetable, including legislation outcomes, personal property assessed values, and state computations, speakers said. Butts told the board the district will focus this cycle on the general fund, which holds operating revenue and spending authority; capital projects, debt service and special revenue funds are “pretty much restricted,” he said.

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