Henrico CFO outlines $27.7 million recommended increase in superintendent's FY2027 budget

John Wack, Henrico County Public Schools’ chief financial officer, provided a staff overview of the superintendent’s recommended FY2027 budget during the Feb. 12 work session and public hearing.

Wack said the recommended general fund budget increases by about $27.7 million, or 3.6%, compared with the current adopted budget and that operating budgets from all funds grow by about 3.3% overall. "As in prior years, the recommended budget does not include funding for salary increases which are a priority and will be considered in the county manager's proposal next month," he said.

Major proposed additions highlighted by Wack include funding for more English language learner teachers to comply with state requirements; additional exceptional education supports including 20 instructional assistants and seven teachers; positions to staff a new cybersecurity specialty center at Jericho High School; and positions associated with the living building at Wilton Farm. The recommended budget also includes operating funds to expand telehealth into middle schools and to move a specialist serving McKinney-Vento students from grant funding to the general fund.

Wack listed notable net increases that together exceed the total net increase while observing there are offsets elsewhere: roughly $18.6 million for employee health benefit cost increases, about $5.45 million for English-language-learner staffing, about $1.71 million for exceptional education assistants and teachers, about $1.44 million for new positions at Davis, Longan and Adams elementary schools, and roughly $1.24 million tied to positions at the Wilton Farm living building. The utilities budget is projected to rise by about $3.0 million next year.

Wack also described net reductions in other areas, including an estimated nearly $8.0 million reduction tied to rate decreases in the Virginia Retirement System pension costs and $1.76 million in other retiree-related credit expenses; a roughly $1.0 million reduction in diesel fuel for pupil transportation; and decreases in education and training and food budgets.

Wack paused to note an administrative error on page 21 of the budget document: the district is not reinstating parking fees for local revenues and staff will correct the online document the following day.

Board members were invited to a public hearing and asked for input; no public speakers were present at the hearing. Wack reminded the board of the timeline: the school board is scheduled to approve the budget with any amendments on Feb. 26, and the final budget will be adopted by the school board on April 16 after the Board of Supervisors adopts the overall county budget, including any salary funding.

No votes on the budget were taken at the Feb. 12 session; the presentation was informational and followed by the scheduled public hearing procedure.