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Superintendent outlines $58M budget, $490K shortfall and three options for city funding talks
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Castle presented Waynesboro Public Schools' proposed FY27 budget: roughly $58.06M in revenue, $58.56M in expenditures (a $490,000 gap), highlighted demographic and special‑needs increases, and described three data‑based counterproposal options the board may take to city council.
Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Castle presented a detailed budget overview to the Waynesboro School Board, describing student demographics, revenue projections and a modest projected gap in next year's spending plan.
Castle said Waynesboro Public Schools expects roughly $32,998,000 in state funding, about $3,003,000 in federal funds and a proposed local city appropriation of $21,238,000, for total revenue of $58,065,000. The proposed expenditure budget is $58,556,000, leaving a $490,000 shortfall (about 0.84% of proposed spending). He said the draft assumes the governor's proposed 2% salary increase, which would require roughly $2.35 million to fund the division's share.
Castle reviewed key budget drivers: enrollment and demographics (k–12 enrollment cited at 2,747), growth in English‑learner and special‑needs populations (408 students with IEPs and 246 with Section 504 plans), rising health‑insurance premiums, HVAC and facility maintenance costs, and security system replacements. He explained how the state's Standards of Quality (SOQ) and the local composite index (about 0.3633–0.3809) affect the state/local share of costs.
Because the General Assembly's budget outcomes remain uncertain, Castle said the board may adopt a budget on March 10 with the expectation of returning later for amendments after final state numbers. He said key legislative milestones include crossover day (Feb. 17) and the general assembly's adjournment (March 14).
On local funding strategy, staff presented three counterproposal options to carry to joint meetings with city council: (1) an "inflation plus 3%" guardrails cap; (2) a five‑year rolling average (historical stability model; staff estimated about 5.54%); and (3) a revenue‑and‑enrollment responsive hybrid (the lesser of inflation plus 3% or the city's discretionary revenue growth, with enrollment adjustments). Board members discussed baseline calculations and potential long‑term effects of caps or averages and asked staff to prepare plain‑language talking points for upcoming 2x2 meetings with council.
No binding change to the school budget or to the city's funding formula was adopted at the meeting; Castle and staff will update revenues and present a budget adoption request when state figures are available.
