Spotsylvania school board approves FY2026 reconciliation after $6.1 million in new state funding

Spotsylvania County School Board members approved a FY2026 budget reconciliation on May 19 after staff reported the state and General Assembly agreed to remove the support-cap formula and increase special-education funding, creating an estimated $6.1 million in additional, ongoing state revenue for the division.

At a work session presentation, finance staff explained that removal of the support cap yields about $4.8 million and increased special-education support roughly $1.24 million in additional state funds for the division. Staff described how those funds allow the district to restore some locally shifted items in the adopted budget, add targeted staff, and fund teacher-scale modernization phases that had been partially frozen earlier in the adoption process.

“Subsequent to this board of supervisors appropriation and school board adoption, the governor announced on May 2 that he agreed to public education provisions as requested by the General Assembly,” the finance presenter said, noting the removal of the support cap and the estimated division impact. Staff told the board the total adopted FY2026 revenues were previously set at $485.8 million and that the additional state funding would be incorporated via an appropriation request to the Board of Supervisors.

Board and staff also discussed one-time retention payments and timing: staff recommended tiered retention payments ($1,000 to SOQ-funded instructional support personnel, $500 to non-SOQ full-time employees, and $250 to part-time staff) and said payment to eligible employees would be issued by June 30, 2025. Superintendent Dr. Mitchell said the region and local divisions coordinated timing to reduce incentives for inter-district movement and that the division will deduct in limited cases if an employee leaves before the district finalizes payroll adjustments.

Board member Miss Cole asked about contingency planning if federal funding were cut; staff said a $1.3 million contingency line was maintained to cover potential abrupt federal program cancellations and to protect continuity in programs that serve students.

Before the public vote, Dr. Medawar read a disclosure about a family employment interest and requested the disclosure be recorded in the minutes. The board then voted 5 to 0 to approve the reconciliation and to seek the additional appropriation from the Board of Supervisors.

The board’s action directs staff to request the supervisors approve the appropriation of the identified state funds and to implement the recommended adjustments to the FY2026 budget.