Southampton County School Board approves FY27 proposed budget and a 5% teacher pay increase
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Summary
The board approved the superintendent's FY27 proposed operating budget and authorized presentation to the county board; the package emphasizes instruction, deferred-maintenance needs and includes a proposed 5% raise for teachers.
The Southampton County School Board voted March 2 to approve a needs-based proposed operating budget for fiscal 2027 and authorized Superintendent Dr. Harris Mohammed to present the request to the Southampton County Board of Supervisors for funding consideration. The superintendent said the proposal increases resources for instruction and addresses deferred maintenance while proposing a 5% pay increase for teachers.
Dr. Harris Mohammed described the budget as the result of a committee process and staff outreach. "This was not a budget I put together myself. This was a budget that the team came together on, and we believe in modeling we are better together," he said, asking for the board's approval to move it forward.
Board members discussed major line items and the division's pace of expenditures to date before voting to approve the proposal. Chair Mister Rogers asked members to attend the April 15 presentation to the Board of Supervisors to support full funding.
The board also received a capital-improvement list attached to the budget for planning purposes. The superintendent said the budget aims to support teacher recruitment and retention and to ensure required services for special education and other student needs.
Next steps: the superintendent will present the approved proposal to the county Board of Supervisors on the scheduled date; the board also asked staff to continue monitoring expenditures for the remainder of the fiscal year.
