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Patrick County board adopts preliminary 2026–27 budget as superintendent flags pre-K cut and staffing priorities
Summary
The Patrick County School Board approved a preliminary 2026–27 budget after Superintendent Dr. Wood outlined staffing additions, a possible 3% pay raise projection, and a projected $276,000 drop in pre-K funding resulting from state "cap tool" estimates; the budget remains subject to amendment when final state figures arrive.
The Patrick County School Board approved a preliminary 2026–27 budget after Superintendent Dr. Wood presented the division's fiscal outlook and program priorities.
Dr. Wood told the board the state budget process remains unsettled and the division expects final guidance in April or during a special session. She said the division is preparing a preliminary budget that may need amendments in April or May when state figures arrive. "So when you see coming down in April and May where we have to amend our budget, it will be because we're just now getting that information from the state," Dr. Wood said.
The superintendent said the local composite index has risen, which increases the county's required local match even as the division seeks to keep instruction spending high. The presentation showed instruction at roughly 62% of allocations, slightly below a 65% guidance target; operations, maintenance and facilities were around 13%. Dr. Wood noted Patrick County's large geography raises transportation costs: "We have over 400 square miles in Patrick County. The transportation costs are higher for us."
Dr. Wood identified several priorities in the proposed budget: retaining competitive employee benefits, adding an additional reading specialist, ensuring every elementary school has a guidance counselor, creating a new management position already hired to succeed a retiring electrician, and hiring in-person occupational therapy and speech staff to replace contracted services. She also said the division plans a testing director position to back up the division testing director and support high-school testing logistics.
On pre-K funding, Dr. Wood said a state "cap tool" used for planning currently shows only 29 pre-K slots for Patrick County, while the division expects roughly 72 slots (comparable with last year's 72-79 range). She warned the cap tool's lower enrollment figure could reduce state support and affect the county match obligation: "So we expect that number to go up, and we've notified the county that that may be a change for them to paying attention to." She also said the preliminary budget includes an estimated $200,000 reimbursement for school resource officers (SROs).
Chair called for a motion to approve the 2026-27 budget; a board member moved and another seconded (the transcript does not clearly name the seconder). The board approved the preliminary 2026-27 budget by voice vote; no opposing votes were recorded in the transcript.
Dr. Wood closed by reminding the board the budget is a working document that will likely be amended once the General Assembly and governor finalize state allocations.
The board then moved on to other business and later convened in closed session to consider personnel.
