Board rejects $168,502 local appropriation for schools; ACPS warns of lost state aid and program cuts

The Amelia County Board of Supervisors voted against a requested $168,502 local appropriation that school officials said was necessary to certify the locality’s required local effort and match for newly allocated state school funding.

An ACPS representative told the board that failing to approve the local appropriation would risk roughly $423,000 in state funds and could force significant reductions. "If we don't approve a $168,000, then we're turning down an additional 400 and some thousand from the state," the ACPS official said, adding that the loss could threaten the preschool program and supports for special‑education students.

Board members who opposed the appropriation cited the county's recently finalized budget and concerns about asking taxpayers to cover additional expenses after the local budget was set. One supervisor said the county had completed its budget and worried about making mid‑year commitments without written proof of available surplus. Another asked staff for written numbers showing any departmental surpluses before committing to new spending.

The school official said the appropriation request reflected a conservative approach taken by ACPS to meet state certification requirements, noting that the division had budgeted using a lower ADM (average daily membership) and was trying to avoid rejecting state funds. "We're only asking for the minimum," the speaker said, urging supervisors to reconsider for the sake of students and staff. The motion to appropriate the local $168,502 failed on a roll-call/voice vote.