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Department of Education seeks $179.3 million for FY2026 as it moves federal positions onto the local budget and warns of expiring grants
Summary
Commissioner Dionne Wells Hendrington presented a FY2026 general‑fund request of $179,316,999 — a 5% increase over FY2025 — driven largely by personnel and fringe costs, the local absorption of formerly ARPA‑funded positions, and the return of previously federal operating costs to the territorial budget; she also flagged multiple expiring federal
The Virgin Islands Department of Education asked the Senate Committee on Budget, Appropriations and Finance on June 30 to approve a proposed FY2026 general‑fund appropriation of $179,316,999, telling senators the increase over FY2025 is primarily driven by personnel and fringe obligations, the local absorbtion of positions previously funded by federal grants, and the return of recurring operating costs to the general fund.
Commissioner Dionne Wells Hendrington said the recommended FY2026 general‑fund budget includes $108,276,622 for personnel and $54,845,776 for fringe benefits. She told senators the department is funding 1,954 full‑time equivalent positions across the territory. The department explained the personnel increase reflects both the continuing implementation of negotiated salary adjustments and deliberate steps to move some school‑based roles previously paid with federal funds to local funding to protect positions from the uncertainty of expiring federal grants.
Why it matters: Department leaders said the shift to local…
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