The county’s share of funding may increase by nearly $200,000 in a preliminary budget approved by the Patrick County School Board at its March 14 meeting.
Schools Superintendent Jason Wood said the operating revenue for the proposed fiscal year 2024-25 spending plan is based on three different proposed budgets: the Governor, Senate, and House of Delegates.
The governor’s proposed budget is around $36.1 million, the Senate’s is just above $37.7 million, and the House’s is about $38.8 million.
“Right now, the Governor has been given a compromised budget. We’re just waiting to see what that will entail,” Wood said.
School divisions are mandated to adopt a budget in March and present it to the local board of supervisors by April 1.
“So, that’s why we’re here. We understand by us not having the finalized, approved calculation tool that we will have to amend our budget, but hearing things from the Superintendent’s Association, the Virginia School Board Association (VSBA,) we feel that there should be a compromise between the two,” Wood said.
As a result, the board is basing its budget on the Senate version, which is in between the House and Governor’s budgets. The total budget is $37,760,641.98.
Wood said the division maintained the federal funds, and “utilizing the calc tool, the county’s share would be an increase of almost $200,000, from $6.7 up to $6.9 million, for the county’s local match,” he said.
In the expense portion of the budget, instruction costs make up the largest portion at 65 percent, or around $24.5 million. Maintenance is $3.5 million, or nine percent, and transportation is $2.8 million, or seven percent.
Technology costs are $2.2 million, or six percent, while administration is also six percent at $2.1 million.
At $1.7 million, food service is about five percent of the expenditure budget while facilities are two percent, or $787,263.80.
Amy Walker, of the Mayo River District, asked Wood why the transportation budget is increasing.
“With more funds going into the instructional line, and also with retirement and attrition, we will not be replacing the few positions there,” Wood answered.
Wood said besides the increases to instruction and transportation, the other categories stay relatively the same compared to the current budget.
“We are following VSBA guidance on how we should allocate our funds within our budget,” he said.
Wood also noted the 11 positions that will be lost at the end of the current school year.
“It doesn’t matter which calc tool that the General Assembly approves, we will see a loss in funding that we have been operating under for the last three years due to federal grants,” he said.
Wood said no current staff member who has been on a continuing contract will be losing their jobs.
“Those positions, those people accepted those grant-funded jobs knowing that the termination date was coming up when the grant ran out,” he said. “I just want to reiterate that we had budgeted for the last three years over $1.1 million in salaries that were federally funded, and due to our budget constraints, are not able to add those positions in our normal operating budget.”
In other matters, the board:
*Heard a presentation on the LEGO League from Hunter Meade and Abigail Lavinder.
*Heard the superintendent’s report.
*Approved the consent agenda.
*Approved the 2024-25 elementary student handbook.
*Approved the 2024 Federal IDEA Annual Plan/Part B Flow-Through Application.
*Approved the disposal of surplus property.
*Approved the personnel report as amended.
*Approved the RE2023-2024 14 & 15.
Lester Harrell, of the Peters Creek District, attended the meeting virtually.
