Manassas Park superintendent proposes roughly $64.8 million FY26 budget emphasizing literacy, pay and student supports

Superintendent Dr. Saunders presented the FY26 superintendent's proposed budget to the Manassas Park City Schools School Board on Feb. 10, saying the plan "reflects our commitment to educational excellence and fiscal responsibility aligned with our strategic goals." The consolidated proposal totals about $64.8 million across six funds and will move to a public hearing on Feb. 24 before the board takes final action in March.

The proposal centers on four priorities: improving literacy and mathematics, investing in compensation and benefits, strengthening student support, and sustainability and future planning. "This is the why behind the budget," Dr. Saunders said, listing student achievements and program growth she said the budget supports.

Board materials and the presentation show an increase in English learner staffing from 26 positions in FY25 to 43 in the FY26 proposal. Dr. Saunders said the budget also moves several reading specialists — previously funded through multiyear state grant dollars that expire at the end of next year — into the operating fund to maintain those positions beyond the grant term.

On compensation, the proposal includes a 5.2% average increase for instructional and classified employees (described as a 2% step plus a 3% cost-of-living adjustment) and a 4.2% average increase for managerial employees (2% step plus 2% COLA). The plan adds a $1,000 top-of-scale supplement for long-tenured instructional and classified staff. The superintendent noted an increase in school board stipends is not included in the $100,000 stipend study estimate, but the proposal does raise school board member pay to $6,000 and the chair to $7,000.

The budget package would change leave and benefits administration. Dr. Saunders said the proposed plan transitions existing sick and personal leave into a single paid time off (PTO) bank, increases initial PTO to 15 days beginning July 1, and provides six weeks of paid maternity/paternity leave after one year of service. The superintendent also said the division has started a new benefits administration platform to improve employee understanding and access to benefits.

Student-support additions in the proposal include an elementary counselor, a dean of students at Manassas Park High School, and added front-office support at the middle and high school campuses. The presentation keeps Care Solace — a 24/7 multilingual mental-health resource — in the operating budget after ESSER funds that previously paid for it expire.

Finance staff described the budget structure and revenue makeup. Amy Watkins, supervisor of budget and finance, said the majority of revenue comes from the Commonwealth (about 66%), followed by the city (about 26%) and federal sources (about 6.5%). Watkins noted that federal COVID-era ESSER funds have largely phased out and that the general operating fund accounts for roughly 89% of the proposed expenditures.

To balance the operating fund, Dr. Saunders said the superintendent will request partial use of the school division's reserve line. The FY26 proposal includes a planned draw of approximately $872,000 from the schools' reserve to support the salary increases and related costs.

Board members asked for specifics on special education staffing and costs tied to new leave provisions. Dr. Saunders said special-education staffing changes are largely driven by grant-funded positions and needs-based demand; she described some contract extensions and "minor things" in the proposed budget to support special education. On leave, staff estimated increased substitute costs and payroll timing changes require an approximately $200,000 adjustment to the substitute/payroll lines.

Next steps outlined during the meeting: the board will hold a public hearing on the FY26 proposed budget and capital improvement plan on Feb. 24; the board scheduled a special meeting on March 3 to adopt the FY26 budget and will transmit the approved budget to the governing body the following day for its appropriation decisions.

Votes at a glance: the board approved two agenda motions related to the schedule — (1) adoption of the 2025–26 and 2026–27 academic calendars, and (2) moving the March meeting to March 3 as a special meeting to adopt the FY26 budget. Both motions passed with the board members present voting in favor and one board member noted as absent.