Henrico County Public Schools presents $27.7 million FY27 recommended budget; board urges more staff, nutrition and facility support

John Wack, Henrico County Public Schools' chief financial officer, on Tuesday presented the superintendent's fiscal 2027 recommended budget, saying the general fund would increase by about $27,700,000, or roughly 3.6%, compared with the current year.

The recommendation, Wack said, does not include funding for employee pay raises, which will be considered later through the county's unified pay plan. "Our general fund budget is increasing by about $27,700,000, or 3.6%," Wack told the school board and staff. He described targeted additions to support English language learners, special education, a new cybersecurity specialty center and expanded student mental health services.

Why it matters: the proposed budget outlines staffing and operating investments ahead of a February 12 public hearing and a board review on Feb. 26. Board members pressed district leaders during Q&A to ensure the new and expanded programs will have on‑the‑ground staffing and to fund supports—especially custodial staffing, school nutrition improvements, family advocates' pay and 504 case management—that directly affect students and employees.

Key details in the proposal include targeted increases for instructional positions and supports tied to the district's strategic plan to 2030. Wack cited several FY26 actions as context for FY27 priorities: 6% raises provided to eligible staff and market adjustments affecting more than 1,300 positions; expansion of the career ladder and the addition of two Opportunity Schools; 52 positions added at the Virginia Randolph campus; an increase of 25 ELL teachers; and a conversion of temporary exceptional‑education instructional assistant slots into full‑time positions.

Wack described programmatic proposals for FY27: additional English language learner teachers to meet changed state requirements; added special education teachers and instructional assistants; new positions for the first year of the cybersecurity specialty center at Noriko High School; and more skilled trades and facilities staff to address heating, cooling and ventilation needs in renovated and new buildings. He also proposed additional counselors and operating funds to expand the Henrico Cares initiative, including telehealth in middle schools, and moving a McKinney‑Vento specialist from grant funding to the general fund.

Board members said they welcomed the investments but pressed for implementation detail. "Doing more with less in Henrico Schools is not an option," said Ms. Kinsella, a Henrico County School Board member, urging additional custodial services at schools that are expanding programming and resources for students affected by recent boundary adjustments. Several board members asked for a clearer presentation of personnel versus operating costs in each spending category so the public and board can see how much of each pie wedge is for salaries and benefits.

Ms. Shay, a board member, asked whether the division can fill existing HVAC positions before adding more and called for a clearer breakout of personnel versus other operating costs. Mr. Young, another board member, praised investments in ELL, special education, career and technical education (including six positions tied to a cybersecurity wing at Henrico High School) and urged higher compensation for family advocates, whom he described as critical for connecting families to services.

A board member asked about FY25 state aid outcomes; Wack said fiscal year 2025 general fund revenues came in about $30,000,000 over the budgeted amount, which improved the county's general fund balance and that state aid is conservatively budgeted for the current year.

Wack also noted the operating budget across all funds would grow by about 3.3 percent, debt service would rise by roughly 3.3 percent, state and federal special revenue budgets by about 2.3 percent, and that instruction would comprise about 76 percent of general fund expenditures in FY27.

Next steps: the division will hold a public hearing on the recommended spending plan on February 12 at 5 p.m. The school board is scheduled to consider the budget and any amendments on February 26; final adoption will occur after the Henrico County Board of Supervisors adopts the county budget, with the school board's final adoption targeted for April 16.

What remains unresolved: Wack and board members repeatedly noted that pay raises are not included in the recommended plan and will be addressed later in the county's unified pay process; board members pressed for clearer cost breakdowns, confirmation that added positions can be filled, and funding to remove 504 case management from counselor workloads.

The school board's budget discussion will continue at the February public hearing and subsequent board meetings.