Superintendent presents preliminary FY27 budget with 3% placeholder and focus on retention, special education and CTE
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Richards presented a preliminary FY27 operating budget to the Harrisonburg City School Board on March 3, emphasizing recruitment and retention, a 3% placeholder for salary adjustments, investments in the special education continuum and expansion of CTE pathways while noting state revenue uncertainties and an upcoming public hearing.
Dr. Richards, the superintendent, presented the Harrisonburg City Schools' preliminary FY27 operating budget and emphasized that the proposal is not final and depends on state decisions. "This is a very preliminary budget," he said, noting the division will refine figures after the General Assembly completes its work.
The proposal front-loads recruitment, retention and compensation. Dr. Richards described a "progressive" approach that would give larger percentage increases to lower-paid employees rather than a flat across-the-board raise. The presentation uses a 3% placeholder increase tied to state paperwork; the superintendent said the division hopes for more but must wait for final state revenue numbers. He also noted a possible one-time bonus being debated at the General Assembly and explained how bonus pots carry stricter strings than recurring salary increases.
Dr. Richards highlighted the special education continuum as a top priority, saying the division is planning to strengthen supports and add positions to address rising service intensity and complexity. He announced plans to expand career and technical education (CTE) programming, move toward a Blue Ridge Community College partnership for career pathways and add a CTE director and advisors. The division will maintain some Massanutten Technical Center (MTC) programming for one additional year while transitioning partnerships and programming resources.
On revenue assumptions, Dr. Richards said Harrisonburg benefited from a lower Local Composite Index (LCI), which increases state support, and that state funding increases account for a material portion of the proposed FY27 revenue. He cautioned the public that federal funding is "in flux" and that some pandemic-related grant funding is expiring. The superintendent said the city appropriation would be set to help address a modest city shortfall and noted the division plans a $500,000 lower local appropriation than the prior year to support the city's fiscal needs.
Mr. Kerwin (finance) and the superintendent reviewed enrollment forecasting and Average Daily Membership (ADM) assumptions used to estimate state revenue; the presentation listed an ADM projection of about 6,350 students but staff said numbers will be monitored and could change before adoption. Dr. Richards urged the public to attend the work session and public hearing scheduled two weeks later at Waterman Elementary School for detailed budget review and public comment.
Board members pressed staff on how progressive increases will be implemented, the distribution of any state-provided bonus, and rebenchmarking of SOQ-funded positions. Dr. Richards and Mr. Kerwin explained that the division prefers salary increases that compound over time rather than one-time bonuses and that benchmarking and SOQ calculations affect how state pots translate into local pay decisions.
The superintendent closed by summarizing major dollar-line impacts shown in his slides: placeholders for salary ($2.1 million), health insurance ($1.6 million), operating expense increases ($1.2 million), and new positions tied to CTE and special education. He reiterated the budget is preliminary, invited public feedback and highlighted the March work session and public hearing as the next step.
