Roanoke County board advances $301 million FY2026–27 budget, approves 4.5% salary increase for staff
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Summary
The Roanoke County School Board reviewed and approved the proposed FY2026–27 budget and associated pay plan, a package that includes a 4.5% overall pay increase for employees, insurance adjustments, CIP updates and a $15.4 million alternative education project added to the capital plan.
The Roanoke County School Board on March 25 approved the division's proposed FY2026–27 budget and accompanying pay plan, which the presentation materials show totals about $301,000,000 and includes an overall 4.5% compensation increase for employees.
Susan Peterson, presenting the budget and capital improvement plan, said the CIP remains balanced at $202,900,000 and that staff added an alternative education public day school with an estimated cost of $15,400,000. On benefits, Peterson said the division planned to "maintain our current plan designs with no changes to deductibles or coverage" while proposing a 10% increase in employee premiums and the division absorbing a larger share of a 22% overall cost increase for health coverage. She also said dental coverage would move to a standalone Delta Dental plan and vision coverage would be unchanged.
In his overview of the pay plan, Jim Bradshaw highlighted a 2.9% update to pay scales that, combined with step increases, produces the roughly 4.5% increase being recommended: "we include that with the step, gives that 4 and a half percent that we're gonna be recommending this evening," he said. Bradshaw also described reclassifications for HVAC technicians and the addition of a district elementary literacy coach to pay plan classifications.
Board members thanked staff for the work and debated the budget context. Several members emphasized the priority of improving compensation to close a long‑standing pay gap: "we need to be trying to close that pay gap to bring our above average staff to at least average salary," one member said. Others warned of reduced local funding from the county and urged continued engagement on the revenue‑sharing agreement.
The board moved and seconded the budget and pay plan approvals and the clerk called the roll; recorded affirmative responses followed the motion. The approved materials, as explained by staff, are an initial pass pending a final state budget and may be revisited when state figures are finalized.
The board also discussed the capital plan's new phased inflation assumptions (near‑term 3.5%, then 4%, later 5%) to provide more realistic cost projections and noted some technology and bus replacements were deferred because of funding constraints. Staff said grant fund increases in the current materials were preliminary and dependent on the final state budget.
The next steps are routine implementation tasks and possible adjustments once the state budget is final; Peterson said staff expects to return to the board as needed.
