Manassas Park board approves FY26 budget amendment to carry forward ESL funds and add roughly $2.44 million in expenditures
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Summary
The school board approved a FY26 budget amendment (4-0) that includes carrying forward $1.2 million in unexpended ESL state funds under a cited General Assembly provision and adds approximately $2.44 million in expenditures funded by carryforwards and reimbursements, including $300,000 for safety projects.
The Manassas Park City Schools board voted 4-0 to approve a fiscal year 2026 budget amendment that adds roughly $2.44 million in expenditures and raises the proposed FY26 total to $67,313,468, the district’s Director of Finance told the board.
"So tonight, we are proposing that we are able to carry forward this $1,200,000," Ms. Watkins, identified in the packet as the district’s Director of Finance, told the board during her presentation, adding that a provision of the General Assembly permits the division to retain unexpended ESL funds when local effort requirements are met. Ms. Watkins summarized planned uses for carryforward and other funding sources: about $300,000 toward school safety projects and roughly $950,000 for instructional materials and contract services, funded from SOQ carryover, state grants and an insurance claim reimbursement.
Ms. Watkins said the district’s projected unexpended general operating fund was about $2,600,000 and that, pending final audit, roughly $1,400,000 would be returned to the stabilization line after the district carries forward $1,200,000 of ESL funding. A board member asked for clarification on the figures; Ms. Watkins confirmed the carryforward and return amounts, saying, "So we will be giving back 1.4 after we are carrying forward the 1.2."
After brief discussion and procedural steps, Chair Paul Alexander called for a motion. The motion on the table described the amendment as "with the increase of $2,438,613 with a total budget of $67,313,468." The motion was seconded and approved in a roll-call vote recorded as four yes votes; minutes from the meeting state the motion "passes four-zero." The motion language and an earlier numeric line in the presentation contain slightly different figures ($2,438,006.13 in the presentation versus $2,438,613 in the motion); that discrepancy appeared in the board packet and the meeting transcript.
Board members and staff noted that no additional funding was being requested from taxpayers: the amendment reallocates carryforward amounts, SOQ/ESL carryovers, state grant awards and an insurance reimbursement to specific projects and instructional needs.
The board recessed for 10 minutes and planned to return upstairs for a closed session on personnel following the public portion of the meeting.