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Alleghany Highlands schools propose $47.8 million budget, ask Covington for $330,000
Summary
At a March 30 joint locality meeting in Covington, the Alleghany Highlands Public School Board presented a preliminary $47.8 million FY2026–27 budget that retains instructional programs, proposes roughly 30 position reductions via attrition, includes a 2% pay increase and requests about $330,000 from the City and more than $900,000 from Alleghany County.
The Alleghany Highlands Public School Board presented a preliminary Fiscal Year 2026–27 operating budget of about $47.8 million at a joint locality meeting in Covington on March 30, school officials said. The session convened with the Alleghany County Board of Supervisors and the City of Covington Council in the Alleghany County Governmental Office Building.
School officials told the joint bodies that final state funding allocations were not yet available and that the budget proposal assumes those figures remain preliminary. Officials emphasized that no instructional programs would be eliminated to balance the budget, while the board would reduce staffing by roughly 30 positions through attrition and by leaving vacancies unfilled rather than by layoffs.
The presentation said payroll and benefits make up the largest share of expenditures, approximately 70–78% of the proposed budget, and recommended a 2% salary increase for employees. School officials also cited rising health insurance costs as a material pressure on overall spending.
Because state funding is projected to decline in part due to changes in the Local Composite Index (LCI) and a drop in Average Daily Membership (ADM), the School Board asked for additional local support: approximately $330,000 from the City of Covington and more than $900,000 from Alleghany County to meet the proposed operating needs.
Separately, the board presented a set of capital improvement priorities that are not included in the operating budget and would require separate funding consideration. Those needs included a roof replacement at Mountain View Elementary School; sewer-line repairs at Alleghany High School; drainage and athletic-facility improvements; asbestos abatement projects; and other infrastructure and accessibility upgrades.
Representatives from the School Board, the County Board of Supervisors and the City Council discussed the budget pressures, the importance of maintaining educational programs and options for funding capital needs and long-term planning. City of Covington Council members participated in the discussion, but no formal action or vote was taken by the council at the session.
With no further business, the joint bodies adjourned. The City of Covington did not record audio of the meeting; the Alleghany Highlands Public School Board maintains the official record and a recording is available via The Virginian Review YouTube coverage.
