Superintendent presents $41.1 million FY27 funding request, stresses staffing and new‑school costs

Dr. Smith, the Stafford County superintendent, presented the division's fiscal‑year 2027 funding request during a virtual special meeting called because of a winter‑storm emergency. He asked the School Board to support a total revenue increase of approximately $41,100,000 to cover salary adjustments, new‑school operating costs and other recurring needs.

The request centers on three priorities: matching county salary increases with an average 3.75% across employees; funding the annual operating costs of three new schools (estimated at $10,570,000); and maintaining targeted supports for high‑need students, such as interventionists, middle‑school deans and dedicated school security officers. "This is not an expansion budget," Dr. Smith said. "It's a sustain and deliver budget. It preserves momentum, protects what's working, and positions Stafford Schools to move forward without stepping backwards." Dr. Smith framed the request as the product of a zero‑based budgeting review and said the division has reduced its base budget by more than $6 million over the last five years.

Why it matters: Dr. Smith told the board that Stafford educates roughly 31,267 students now and projects growth to more than 34,500 over the next decade, which he said will require added operational capacity (the equivalent of two elementary schools and one middle school). He said special‑population enrollments—including English learners and students with disabilities—have increased substantially, driving demand for interventionists, specialized staff and translation services.

Key details and allocations: Dr. Smith asked the county to fund $8,000,000 in salary increases and $10,600,000 in operating costs tied to the three new schools; he said those figures do not include debt service, which the county accounts for separately. He also described a plan to use $2,500,000 of carryover funds for one‑time needs—including about $1,000,000 for classroom technology and purchases that will allow the division to buy six buses this year toward a goal of replacing 20 buses annually.

On staffing and program changes, Dr. Smith proposed reallocating clerical positions from the smallest elementary schools to larger ones, adding a part‑time athletics and activities director at each high school, and in some high‑school courses replacing one teacher position with two paraprofessionals to support virtual and distance learning. He emphasized interventionists and deans as proven supports for struggling students, and noted that state at‑risk funding (projected at about $4.5 million under the governor's proposal) can be used, with a required local match, to stabilize those positions.

Compensation and benefits: Dr. Smith highlighted a need to correct market gaps for school‑based administrators after reporting a 67% turnover rate among school administrators over four years. The proposal also accounts for a projected 28% increase in health‑insurance costs (which Dr. Smith estimated at roughly $10,000,000 more than last year). To limit the effect on employees, the division would absorb most of the increase while recommending employee premium adjustments of roughly 5–7%, which Dr. Smith said would translate to roughly $2–$26 more per month depending on the plan.

Security and safety: Citing pilot results and requests from schools, Dr. Smith recommended using carryover funds to expand weapons‑detection units and argued that new dedicated school security officers at each middle school—funded in part by state at‑risk dollars—would improve supervision and response times beyond what SRO coverage alone provides.

Process and next steps: The chair confirmed a quorum and the board unanimously approved procedural motions at the meeting's start. Dr. Smith invited the public to a budget town hall scheduled for the following evening and outlined the FY27 schedule: the board will finalize a proposed school‑board budget on Feb. 19, present it to the Board of Supervisors during a Feb. 26 work session, and complete adoption steps through April, including the school board's final adoption on April 28 (per the presentation).

Votes at a glance: • Motion to confirm emergency status and proceed virtually: moved by a board member; outcome — approved (proceeded under Virginia Code §2.2‑3708.2; roll call earlier established quorum). • Motion to approve the meeting agenda: moved and seconded; voice vote recorded as unanimous.

The superintendent closed by characterizing the request as intended to sustain current programs and manage growth while protecting instructional priorities; he encouraged continued public engagement at the town hall and through the board's upcoming budget work sessions.