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Councilmen consider partial $1M city contribution to Richmond Virtual Academy after debate over proposed cuts
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Summary
Councilwoman Gibson proposed redirecting a package of administrative and economic development savings to fund the Richmond Virtual Academy; after heated debate about feasibility and whether school leadership supported the plan, council agreed to pursue a $1 million partial funding commitment and to work with administration and RPS before final action.
Councilwoman Gibson proposed reallocating a set of city funding lines to preserve the Richmond Virtual Academy (RVA), a program the school board included in its own proposed budget but that city administration did not fully fund in the city’s proposed FY27. Gibson’s original package listed roughly $2.2 million of reductions — including unfilled communications positions and economic development grant money — and she said she would accept a smaller $1 million commitment if council could identify offsets.
"This is a program that's served students with significant special needs," Gibson said, arguing the academy has strong outcomes and community support. Several councilmembers urged caution about cutting programs that generate revenue or eliminating positions that administration said were already in active recruitment. Administration staff (including Amy Popovich and chief of staff Lisonbee Wigesuri) said some of the positions Gibson proposed to cut were actively being filled, and that removing them would constrain the city’s ability to find vacancies to support other council amendments.
Council members also debated whether the school board as a whole had endorsed the city funding approach; some members said individual school board members supported the concept, while others said the board chair was not aware of the city's proposed offsets. Given those uncertainties, the council endorsed an amended approach: a tentative $1 million allocation for RVA, with the council president and staff directed to work with the superintendent and administration to identify viable offsets and to return with final language on Wednesday.
What’s next: council staff will work with administration and Richmond Public Schools to confirm program need, guardrails for use of funds, and precise offsets before any final vote.
