The Culpeper County School Board approved several routine items and heard budget and operations reports at its November meeting.

Procedural votes: The board approved the meeting agenda by voice vote; the consent agenda (October minutes, payroll and bills) passed by voice vote. The board also approved revisions to policy KG B1 (use of school facilities) and policy KKBR1 (school visitors policy) after a one-read presentation from the administrative committee. The board approved tentative 2026 budget work-session dates.

Finance and enrollment: Mr. Dean said October membership leveled off but the division is down 94 average-daily-membership students, which he estimated equates to about $736,000 in state funding. He reported year-to-date operating-fund expenditures at roughly $32 million of a $119 million budget (about 27% spent) and said the division is closely monitoring food-service finances now that free breakfast and lunch are being provided under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).

Food service and CEP: Officials explained the division’s CEP direct-certification rate of about 41.3% and noted the federal CEP threshold was lowered (from 40% to 25%), which may encourage more divisions to participate. Mr. Dean and Dr. Bratz (board/staff speaker) cautioned that while the division has reserves and reimbursement for meals, continued provision of free meals would require watching reimbursement rates and could create operating budget pressure over time.

Operations and transportation: The operations report listed repairs, solar-site visits by external engineers, ongoing cell-tower testing, delivery of two new 77-passenger buses and data showing a spike in stop-arm camera citations (391 in September with an approval rate of roughly 33%). The division identified Rixeyville Road (State Route 229) as a recurring problem area and said GPS tracking and stop-arm camera data are being used to target enforcement and communications with parents.

Votes at a glance: agenda (voice vote) — approved; consent agenda (voice vote) — approved; KG B1 (one-read revision) — approved; KKBR1 (one-read revision) — approved; 2026 budget work-session dates — approved; motion to convene closed session for personnel — approved.

Closed session: The board moved to convene a closed session at 7:43 p.m. to consider personnel matters pursuant to a Code of Virginia citation read into the record; the motion listed multiple personnel actions to be discussed, including appointments, transfers, separations, substitute approvals and amended coaching supplements for 2024–25.