WJCC board hears data-driven case for pay increases, staffing additions ahead of FY27 budget

Administrators for Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools (WJCC) presented the board Tuesday night with staffing metrics and pay-model options intended to reduce turnover and improve regional competitiveness as they prepare the FY27 operating budget.

Dr. Kehoe opened the budget work session by asking three guiding questions for the board’s fiscal deliberations: how investments will support student learning and well-being, how the division remains competitive in recruiting and retaining staff, and how to steward public resources transparently and sustainably. Emily Haywood, identified in the meeting as a director in human resources, led the presentation of compensation proposals and workforce data.

Haywood reported 137 instructional staff resignations or retirements in the 2024–25 school year—including 20 retirees, 19 relocations and 12 who left the profession—and said nearly half of teachers who left did so before their 10th year. "Understanding why our educators leave is critical as we shape strategies to retain talent," she said.

Administrators modeled a baseline 2% salary increase (the figure shown in the presentation as the governor’s proposal) and options to layer on compensation-study adjustments to address market gaps and step progression. For support staff on the unified scale—where the division’s minimum rate in the presentation was $15.50 per hour—staff showed what a 3% unified-scale increase would do to regional rankings and noted that only seven employees were at the $15.50 minimum.

The presentation outlined targeted equity and classification changes intended to address specific shortfalls: a custodial career progression affecting 86 employees (estimated cost $52,000), reclassifications in transportation for five CDL-holding office staff (estimated $11,500), new leveling for mechanics and trades (estimated $23,000 and $19,000 respectively), and adjustments to building substitutes and data-entry roles.

Administrators also proposed pay supplements for some special-education positions and other targeted groups while laying out a two-year approach to stipend adjustments informed by a Bolton compensation study. Dr. Kehoe said staff would return with a detailed pay book in May and asked whether the board wished staff to proceed to compile summary totals for a February budget presentation; the board indicated support for continuing that work.

The presentation and board discussion emphasized tradeoffs between in-house hiring and continued contracted services, constraints tied to the Local Composite Index (which affects state funding and local-match requirements), and the need to collect stipend-holder data to shape a tiered stipend system. Administration provided a rolling estimate—covering compensation, contract changes and FTE requests—of just under $9 million and said it would bring more detailed totals at the next session.

The board did not take a formal vote on specific compensation or staffing changes at the meeting; the only formal action recorded was an early procedural vote to approve the meeting agenda.