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Warren County Schools board approves superintendent’s 2025–26 budget resolution
Summary
The Warren County Schools board approved the superintendent’s proposed 2025–26 budget resolution after staff reported community feedback and a finance consultant outlined assumptions (including a midpoint 3% state pay raise estimate, projected $65M budget and county appropriation request).
Warrenton, N.C. — The Warren County Schools board voted to approve the superintendent’s proposed budget resolution for the 2025–26 school year on April 22, advancing the district’s spending plan and a local funding request to county officials.
The board approved the resolution after Heather Mallard summarized community feedback and finance consultant Mr. Duda walked trustees through revenue and cost assumptions, including an assumed midpoint of roughly a 3% average state pay raise and expected increases in employer retirement and state health-plan contributions.
Mallard told the board the district received community survey responses and that most respondents supported the proposal; comments highlighted support for pay increases, technology replacement and facility repairs. Mr. Duda said the administration is budgeting conservatively amid uncertainty in the state budget, noting the district no longer has ESSER carryover funds and is preparing for normal federal funding levels.
"We built these assumptions around about a 3% raise," Mr. Duda said, summarizing the midpoint the district used between proposed state funding levels. He told trustees the district modeled impacts from likely increases in retirement and state health-plan costs and recommended preparing for those expenses alongside a local supplement initiative.
The proposed budget anticipates total district spending a little over $65 million, Mr. Duda said. He also outlined capital funding tied to the state Capital Needs Fund: the consolidated elementary project carryover was forecast near $30.85 million, and the district is seeking a county appropriation in the neighborhood of $5 million for local supplements and a separate $374,000 request for capital outlay.
Board members pressed for clarity on where capital carryover is held. Mr. Duda explained the capital dollars remain with the State of North Carolina and are drawn down by the district as needed; the state earns interest on those funds and manages the drawdown process.
Vice Chair Sims moved to approve the superintendent’s proposed budget resolution; Board Member Byrd seconded. The board adopted the resolution by voice vote.
The vote advances the spending plan and authorizes district leadership to present the local appropriation request to county government before the state’s May 15 deadline. Trustees and staff said figures will be refined as the state budget finalizes and as the county appropriation request is processed.
What’s next: district staff will finalize numbers and transmit the county appropriation request to county officials; the board framed the action as an authorization to continue preparation rather than final fixed appropriations until state and county decisions are complete.
