The next Salem school division budget will likely include a $5 million increase based on a proposal the city council will review Monday night.
The proposed budget for fiscal year 2027, which will be presented to the council by school board Chairman Andy Raines, adds up to about $68 million — which is an 8% increase from the current year.
A little over half of the division’s budget is funded by the state. About one-third of the budget comes from local funds, and about 5% is made up of federal funding, according to a budget highlights document in the meeting agenda.
The school board will provide $600,000 in this budget for increases in compensation and benefits for the school division’s staff. Also included is a 4.5% salary increase for teachers and administrators, and a 7.5% salary increase for support staff.
The budget also allows for increases to funding for utility costs, textbook costs, healthcare insurance and technology infrastructure. The budget also includes $200,000 in funding for additional positions or periods of instruction, including building trades, criminal justice, social workers, special education and instructional coaching.
State funding in the upcoming year’s budget increased by almost $5 million, due to the state’s share of an overall 2% raise, an increase in “At-Risk” and special education funding and results from benchmarking that projected increasing enrollment, agenda documents stated.
Federal funding for the division will decrease by $85,000 due to the reduction of funds spent in the current year for English learning and special education services.
The council will also receive budget presentations from the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission and the Roanoke Valley Resource Authority on Monday.
Those interested in reading the full agenda for Monday’s meeting can find it here. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall, at 114 N. Broad St. in Salem, following a 5:15 p.m. work session.
