Educators and parents press Isle of Wight school board to back raises in budget hearing

Public commenters filled the March 5 Isle of Wight County Schools budget hearing with appeals for higher pay and more staff, asking the school board to use a newly completed compensation study to make teacher and support‑staff salaries competitive with neighboring districts.

Teachers, counselors and parents spoke in turn during the public‑comment period, presenting a consistent set of concerns: pay that lags nearby divisions, classroom positions left unfilled, high counselor workloads from Section 504 case management, and the broader retention risks those gaps create. "Competitive pay is a statement of respect," said Kimberly Williams, who described taking a chance early in her career with the district and urged action so educators will "want to stay."

Why it matters: Multiple speakers tied the staffing problem to student experience and safety — larger class sizes, too few substitutes and counselors spending substantial time on paper‑work rather than direct student support. The board’s budget request for 2025–26 includes proposed increases the superintendent says target recruitment, retention and special education supports; speakers said the compensation study confirms the need to act.

Speakers cited details from the compensation review and local data. "What was found is that there is a significant discrepancy between our county and others," said Caitlin Dixon, a sixth‑grade English teacher at Georgie Tyler Middle School, asking the board, "Will you raise our salaries to make them competitive?" Other educators highlighted concrete local impacts: Kippy Sinclair, a Westside Elementary teacher, said two fifth‑grade positions and other elementary vacancies remained unfilled this year, producing larger class sizes that reduce individualized instruction.

Counselors pressed a separate but related point about role clarity. Shauna Van Sciver, a counselor at Windsor Elementary, said school counselors in the division are placed on the teacher pay scale yet frequently manage Section 504 plans and testing coordination. She asked the board to reconsider those assignments so counselors can focus on direct student support: "Being relieved from Section 504 paperwork as promised would free up hours for me to be more present for my students," she said.

Financial and process questions surfaced as well. A resident, Herb de Grofft, sharply criticized the superintendent’s February budget presentation and requested copies of SCAP application documents submitted to the Virginia Department of Education, alleging inconsistencies in how local funding and per‑pupil figures were presented. A board member later responded to the room’s questions by noting that student average daily membership is projected to increase by about 100 students and that special‑education enrollment affects per‑pupil calculations.

Board action at the start of the session was procedural: a motion to approve the open‑session agenda amendments passed. The chair then closed public comment, announced a five‑minute break and adjourned the open session before a scheduled budget work session.

The public comments put pressure on the board to translate the compensation study and local financial data into a clear plan for pay and staffing. The superintendent’s proposed budget contains an increase requested from the county; speakers repeatedly urged the board to be a united advocate in the coming county funding discussions. The board did not take a substantive vote on raises or staffing during the open session.

Sources and attributions: Quotes and claims in this article come from public commenters at the March 5 open session, including Kimberly Williams, Tara Williams Outland, Caitlin Dixon, Kippy Sinclair, Alicia Reeves, Shauna Van Sciver, Christina Parsons and Matthew Johnson. A board member provided clarifying data on enrollment and per‑pupil expenditures during the meeting.

What’s next: The board planned a five‑minute break before the budget work session; no final vote on budget changes or raises occurred during the open session reported here.