Budget priorities: Rappahannock parents rank teacher, staff salaries highest

School Board, supervisors hope for more state funding

Rappahannock’s School Board and Board of Supervisors worked through their fiscal year 2025 budget at a joint meeting Tuesday highlighted by a survey from parents that teacher and staff salaries and benefits are their highest budget priority.

The presentation also included staffing retention efforts, state budget projections and new state mandates.

Rappahannock County Public Schools Superintendent Shannon Grimsley presented points from Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s proposed budget for the district, and highlighted the additional $1.5 million the budget allocates to RCPS. This Sunday is “budget Sunday” for the state according to Grimsley, so the district hopes to have a better idea of next year’s state funding.

Because of complications in state law, Rappahannock County has previously had a cap placed on state aid. This year, the district is expected to receive more funding from the state but it won’t officially know until Sunday.

“It’s pretty solid there, but you don’t know what might happen to the chambers or behind closed doors in conference. So we’re very hopeful that [funding is] there, but we have to plan for a scenario where it may not be,” Grimsley said.

Last year, the school district planned for funding from the state that ultimately fell through, and looked to the county to fill in the gaps. Hampton Supervisor Keir Whitson said he hopes the two boards can “​​work together early and often” during this year’s budget planning.

“I hope obviously we can stay away from doing something like that again,” Whitson said. “So far the picture looks better than it did last year.”

School facility needs for FY2025 are projected to cost $255,000. Grimsley said the district hopes to launch fundraising campaigns for some of the facility costs, such as renovating the auditorium.

Transportation

In a separate presentation, Grimsley provided the supervisors with an overview of the school’s transportation needs and the costs associated with maintaining its bus fleet. Based on data from the Virginia Department of Education, RCPS has a lower transportation cost and average yearly mileage than other districts of similar size in the state, according to Grimsley’s presentation.

County’s budget

Assistant County Administrator Bonnie Jewell presented the county’s preliminary budget drivers, noting the main revenue and expenditures the county expects to see this year. Jewell said like the school district, the county budget is still in its beginning stages. The final budget will be adopted in the spring.

In final comments, all members of both boards voiced their thanks for the good working relationship the two boards have.

“We’re committed to working together, because that’s when we do our best for the student,” said Wes Mills, Jackson representative and chair of the school board.

“I think we can all agree there’s tension, but of a productive kind,” Whitson said.

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