Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Doctor Reisman: Buckingham County schools plan FY27 amid falling enrollment, request $383,717 in local match
Summary
Buckingham County Public Schools presented a FY27 budget built on a conservative ADM of 1,650, outlined $846,655 in reductions already made after enrollment dropped, proposed new positions and programs, and told supervisors an increased Local Composite Index likely requires an extra $383,717 in local matching funds to avoid loss of state aid.
Doctor Reisman presented Buckingham County Public Schools—Y27 budget proposal to the Board of Supervisors, saying the division built its request on a conservative Average Daily Membership projection of 1,650 and has already taken $846,655 in reductions after a significant drop in enrollment.
The presentation outlined academic achievements, grant awards and program details before turning to finances. "With an estimated loss of state revenue in the amount of $795,436, we made $846,655 in reductions," Doctor Reisman said, citing steps that included not filling six teacher vacancies and keeping 10% of department funds in reserve.
Why it matters: the state-adjusted Local Composite Index (LCI) has risen (from 0.3379 to 0.3569, as described at the meeting), which lowers state funding and raises the locality—s required local effort. Doctor Reisman told supervisors the best current estimate of the additional minimum local match is $383,717 and warned that failure to provide the minimum local effort could "result in a loss of state funding for programs such as sustaining our pre-K program, providing the compensation supplement for teachers, and funding for our at-risk students."
Key elements of the school proposal included: - Personnel additions and needs-based requests totaling roughly $519,859, including a full-time gifted teacher ($100,000), a full-time instructional-technology resource teacher ($80,000), two reading specialists ($177,359), a lead special-education teacher ($80,000), a second full-time middle-school counselor ($80,000), a school psychologist intern and other classroom supports. - Program funding and grants such as continuation of a 21st Century program at the Carter G. Woodson complex, a new GEAR UP grant, and a Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant supporting school-based counseling and instructional coaching. - Changes to cafeteria and other funds, and a plan to purchase buses in spring once the March 31 ADM is known; the division reported one bus already purchased and a letter of intent to buy a second by April 15.
Board discussion and public comment focused on procurement timing and the distribution of state retention/ recruitment bonuses for employees. Multiple supervisors asked the school staff to verify payroll dates and to confirm any missed payments to substitute bus drivers and other employees; the board asked staff to "go back through payroll and make sure everyone got it."
The board did not adopt the school budget at the meeting; Doctor Reisman said the division will adjust its request once the General Assembly finalizes the state budget and the board will consider the local-match request as part of the county—s budget process.
What—s next: the school division and county staff will reconcile payroll records, verify dates for substitute pay and retention bonuses, and the board will consider whether to include the school—s requested local match in the county budget that is being advertised this month.
