Pittsylvania school board sets March 26 public hearing on draft 2026–27 budget, approves school nutrition and salary items
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Summary
The Pittsylvania County School Board approved submission of the draft 2026–27 division budget and the school nutrition budget for a public hearing on March 26, and voted to approve summer school salary rates and out-of-district tuition rates. Finance staff said the proposal is based on the governor's December 2025 plan and local funding projections.
The Pittsylvania County School Board voted on March 10 to submit its draft 2026–27 budget and the school nutrition budget for a public hearing on March 26 and to forward both to the Board of Supervisors for review. The board also approved proposed 2026 summer-school salary rates and out-of-district tuition rates for 2026–27.
Finance staff told the board the draft budget is built on the governor's December 2025 proposal and the division's current average daily membership (ADM) projection of about 7,068.7 students, down from the 7,225 figure reported to the state on Sept. 30, 2025. The presenter said the Local Composite Index (LCI) for the biennium rose and that about 27.15% of the proposed budget would come from local funding, with the remainder from the state. The draft includes a proposed 2% cost-of-living increase for contract employees and step increases where due; it does not include reserve for a potential health-insurance increase.
The finance presenter said the division asked the Board of Supervisors for a $2.2 million increase to maintain funding roughly 6% above the local required minimum and that the division will monitor the General Assembly's action when it adjourns March 14. "If the budget is adopted by the state, the Virginia Department of Education has 10 days to provide detailed information to us," the presenter said, noting the division would amend the draft if new state figures arrive before adoption.
Board members moved, seconded and approved the motions by roll call. The public hearing on both the draft division budget and the school nutrition budget was scheduled for March 26; the board said it will adopt the budgets after the hearing unless new state information requires amendment.
Votes at the March 10 meeting on these budget-related motions were recorded by roll call and were approved unanimously as presented.
Next steps: the board will hold the March 26 public hearing and expects to adopt the budgets following that hearing, subject to any updates from the Virginia Department of Education.
