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Culpeper schools face roughly $2.7 million FY26 shortfall as state budget talks continue
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Bridal told the school board the division currently projects about a $2.7 million shortfall for FY2026 amid ongoing General Assembly budget negotiations; reassessment-driven property value increases and planned capital projects also factor into next year’s fiscal outlook.
Superintendent Dr. Bridal told the Culpeper County School Board that the division is currently estimating a budget shortfall of about $2,700,000 for fiscal year 2026 as the General Assembly continues to reconcile competing House, Senate and governor proposals.
The shortfall is driven by differences between the governor’s budget and proposals under consideration in the General Assembly, and by rising local costs tied to planned capital projects and compensation increases, Dr. Bridal said. "The budget shortfall at this time, is approximately $2,700,000 as it stands right now," she said.
Why it matters: the shortfall is the division’s working estimate as legislators and the governor consider competing revenue and spending proposals during the short session. The board’s timing for finalizing its FY26 request depends on how those state decisions come down and on the county’s tax-rate choices after a property reassessment.
Key facts and figures: Dr. Bridal said the county’s reassessment is showing roughly a 12% increase in real-estate values, which would be equalized to a 42% assessment ratio in the county’s calculations — presented as roughly 34 cents on the general fund and 8 cents on the fire and rescue levy in the slides shown to the board. The superintendent noted that a one-cent change in the tax rate would be worth about $932,000 under the new valuations, compared with about $824,000 last year.
Dr. Bridal also reviewed the status of capital spending: the division is moving forward with a CMS (middle school) renovation and modernization project and a planned new elementary school (referred to as elementary school No. 7). Those projects require the Board of Supervisors to approve borrowing; Dr. Bridal warned that the borrowing carries interest costs that will affect the FY26 and FY27 budgets.
Board context and next steps: Dr. Bridal described the division’s FY26 figures as a working “blush” and said they remain subject to legislative compromise. She told the board the county typically begins its budgeting process assuming level funding and that the schools often come to the county “nearly last” in the local budget cycle because final state numbers are not yet available. She encouraged the board to watch General Assembly action through mid-February and beyond.
Board members did not make substantive changes to the presentation at the meeting. The superintendent said staff and the finance team will continue to refine options and report back in upcoming budget work sessions.
Ending: The board’s next public budget work session was listed on the agenda; staff said they expected additional state information after key February deadlines and would return with updated scenarios for the board and county.
