Warren County School Board approves superintendent's FY26 budget after hours of public comment

The Warren County School Board approved Superintendent Dr. Ballinger's proposed fiscal year 2026 operating budget in a 3-2 roll-call vote on March 5, 2025. The measure, moved and seconded from the dais, passed with Chair (Madam Chair) and board members Dr. Funk and Mrs. Lowe voting aye; Miss Salins and Mr. McFadden voted no.

The approved budget would raise the division's overall operating request by about $3.2 million from the previous year and increases the county appropriation request by roughly $4.3 million, superintendent Dr. Ballinger said during the presentation. Key drivers identified in the staff presentation included salary and benefit increases for staff, rising health insurance costs, growth in English-language learner and 504 accommodation counts, and restored positions that had been held in prior years.

Board members and staff framed the vote as a trade-off between meeting documented needs in classrooms and presenting a package the Board of Supervisors could adopt. Miss Salins and Mr. McFadden said the request risked alienating county supervisors and urged a narrower "priority" budget. Miss Salins called for a middle path between full funding and flat funding; McFadden said the budget included some items he considered "wants." Chair and supporters said the package reflected the division's documented needs and the results of months of meetings with schools.

Dr. Ballinger summarized the budget rationale during his presentation as a focus on students and staff: "We are here because of the students that we serve, because of the community that we serve," he said, urging the board to consider the operational impacts of prior cuts. Finance staff detailed several cost drivers: teacher salaries and progression, a near $4.3 million increase in employer health insurance costs since FY2013, mandated staffing changes tied to state standards of quality, and growing counts of students served with 504 accommodations and English-language learner services.

The board and staff highlighted several specific program requests included in the superintendent's proposal: additional reading specialists at elementary schools, a nursing coordinator, a public information officer (PIO), translator/ELL support, and restoration of several held positions tied to class-size and mandated services. Staff said some held positions were repurposed to meet shifting needs (for example, reallocating a pre-K teacher slot to reading support where appropriate).

Public testimony at the beginning of the meeting strongly favored full funding, with teachers, parents and student groups urging the board to approve the superintendent's request. Several speakers described teachers leaving neighboring districts for higher pay and cited shortages in key areas such as special education, counselors and career-technical courses at Skyline High School.

Board members noted the Division's reliance on state funding that includes raise-matching requirements: accepting certain state funds requires a local match, which constrains local budgeting choices. The superintendent noted that textbook adoption cycles are expensive and must be planned years in advance; the budget included a partial redirect of state-designated funds into the textbook fund to begin restoring the textbook replacement cycle.

The vote followed a floor motion to approve the superintendent's proposed FY26 budget and a brief round of discussion. The motion text recorded at the meeting was: "I move that the superintendent's FY 26 proposed budget as presented." The board recorded the roll call: Miss Salins, no; Mr. McFadden, no; Madam Chair, aye; Dr. Funk, aye; Mrs. Lowe, aye.

What remains next: the school board will present the appropriation request to the Warren County Board of Supervisors as part of the county budget process. Several board members urged constituents to also contact the supervisors to explain school priorities.

Votes at a glance - Superintendent FY26 proposed budget: approved (3-2). Yes: Madam Chair; Dr. Funk; Mrs. Lowe. No: Miss Salins; Mr. McFadden.

Ending Board members said they will continue budget discussions with county supervisors as the county's appropriation process proceeds. Several speakers who testified urged the board to press county leaders for additional resources to address staffing, textbooks and classroom supports.