Poquoson school board approves FY27 budget after debate over superintendent compensation

Poquoson City School Board approved the superintendent's proposed FY27 operating budget on March 17, 2026, after a public hearing and extended discussion about how the superintendent's salary increase was presented in the budget documents. The resolution passed on a 5'to—5 vote.

The budget documents presented by Chief Financial Officer Miss Spence project total FY27 revenues of $33.3 million, a 3.32% increase over FY26, with state funding expected to provide 55% of revenue, local funding 42% and federal funding 3%. The division cited personnel costs (about 82% of operating spending), modest enrollment growth and facility needs as primary drivers. The proposed budget includes a 2% salary increase for SOQ-recognized positions and a projected average daily membership of 2,065.

The meeting's lone public commenter, Steven Clark of Odd Road, urged the board to reconsider optics and fairness after reviewing the published budget. "My disapproval is the disparity on the proposed pay increases," Clark told the board, noting the superintendent line in the packet showed a 10.26% increase while most staff were slated for 2%.

Board leadership and administration explained that the budgetary percentage in the packet is a function of three elements: (1) the superintendent's contract contains a clause that ties the superintendent's increase to the average teacher compensation (administration said that average teacher adjustments following prior compensation work totaled roughly 11.8%), (2) the FY27 budget includes a contingency to cover a contractual option to cash out up to 20 annual leave days (deferred compensation that must be budgeted if exercised), and (3) the 2% across-the-board raise. "The superintendent's contract has a clause ... the superintendent receives a pay increase that is equivalent to the average teacher," the chair explained during discussion, noting the 10.26% figure is a budgetary representation rather than a change to base salary.

Miss Spence walked the board through the major budget drivers, including $656,000 in personnel-related increases (the largest component a proposed 2% salary increase), $291,100 in targeted instructional investments and $188,800 in maintenance, transportation and technology needs. She noted the General Assembly had not adopted a final state budget as of March 14 and the division would continue to monitor legislative outcomes that could affect revenue.

Several board members said they were surprised by the way the superintendent line was presented and asked for clearer public-facing materials in future budgets. Board member Mr. Dow said he would vote no because he felt "blindsided" by the presentation; the final roll call was: Mr. Maxwell (yes), Mr. Dow (no), Mrs. Osborne (yes), Mrs. Jones (yes), Mr. Doose (yes), and Chair Dr. Burbage (yes).

The board's approval moves the FY27 budget forward to the city as the funding authority; the administration said the approved schoolboard budget will be submitted to the city by the statutory deadline for consideration in the city's budget process. The superintendent and finance team said they will provide additional explanatory materials about contract-related budget entries on request.

Next steps: the approved schoolboard budget will be transmitted to the city council/funding authority for its review and action; any future changes to the superintendent's contract would require separate negotiation and, if pursued, would be handled through the contract process rather than as a budget-only action.