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CFO outlines $13.9M in new state funding; board to consider pay-step increases and special-education investments
Summary
Crystal Pate presented about $13.9 million in additional revenue from the recent biennial amendments and recommended PAYGO increases, a partial replacement of expired grant funding, converting temporary special-education assistants to full-time, and raising salary step increases for staff with 1–14 years of experience.
Crystal Pate, chief financial officer, briefed the board on budgetary changes from the 2026–28 biennial amendments and related administrative recommendations.
Pate said the division received approximately $13.9 million in net additional revenue comprising special-education add-on funding, compensation-supplement allocations (to support an average 4% for SOQ-funded positions), per-pupil infrastructure/operations funding, and other state and sales-tax adjustments. The administration proposed the following uses:
- Shift security-assistant positions to newly awarded school security grants (reducing operating costs by ~$536,000) and fund required local matches for two safety-related grants (~$361,534 total); - Increase PAYGO by $3,000,000 for capital needs; - Replace roughly $3,000,000 in expired grant funds that previously supported high-impact tutoring and Virginia Literacy Act activities; - Increase the tuition/PD reimbursement annual cap from $1,000 to $2,000 (estimated additional $214,000); - Adjust the unified pay scale by increasing salary steps for employees with 1–14 years of experience from 1% to 1.25% effective Feb. 1 (estimated cost ~$4.8M); - Convert temporary special-education teacher-assistant positions to full-time (~20 positions; ~$931,000) and increase funding for private day placements, STEP classrooms and behavioral supports (total special-education investments exceeding $1.3M).
Pate said the administration will present an amended budget resolution for board action on Aug. 11 and then present the approved amendment to City Council. Board members asked clarifying questions about the 4% state-directed average increase and the mechanics of step increases; staff said the state funding reaffirms a 4% average for SOQ positions and that district-specific implementation details would be provided in follow-up materials.
