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The Superintendent presented the proposed 2025-2026 budget during the School Board’s special meeting on Feb. 27. The proposed budget is $244,554,074, which is a 1.62% decrease compared to the 2023-24 actual budget and the 2024-25 revised budget.  

Instruction and instructional supports make up 72.8% of the total budget, with $178,009,787. Facilities and maintenance is the second largest category at 10.5%, with $25,795,314. Pupil transportation is next, at 4.6%, followed by food services, then technology, then administration and attendance. Health and psychology is the smallest category at 1.4%, with $3,514,744.

There will be a public hearing on the budget during the regularly scheduled School Board meeting on March 13. A vote on the proposed budget is expected to happen during the March 27 School Board meeting and must be adopted by May 15.

Totaling $962,500, one of the largest proposed changes is the addition of 11 new School Resource Officers and a ZeroEyes security system — a security measure implemented last year that adds software to external cameras so an alert can be sent to Suffolk Police if a weapon is detected.

The total budget consists of three funds — operating fund, grants funds, and food services fund. The operating fund is over 85% of the total budget, followed by the grants fund, and then the food services fund. Made up of federal, state, and privately funded expenses, the grants funds go toward specific populations of students or services. The food services fund is self- supporting, and goes toward allowing SPS to provide free breakfast and lunch.

The operating and food services funds have stayed relatively consistent for the proposed budget. The grant funds will see a 41.5% decrease. This is because the state’s All-In Grant — $5.8 million given to fight learning loss from the pandemic and fight absenteeism — expires this year on June 30.

The revenue for the operating fund comes primarily from the state, at 60.8% of the total revenue. The city appropriation would make up 38.4% if they allot the additional $7 million requested for next year. The federal revenue, making up less than 1% of the proposed budget, is reimbursement from JROTC and Impact Aid. The remaining revenue is generated from rents, interest, surplus sales and fees.

Operating funds cover the cost of staff compensation, benefits, and the everyday costs of operating the schools.

A little over $3.2 million will come from the Governor’s proposed budget, which will cover about 60% of the state-mandated 3% staff raise, Superintendent Dr. John B. Gordon III said during the presentation. The raises alone will account for a nearly $57,000 budget increase.

The new starting teacher salary will be $56,975, a $1,800 increase from last year. Over the past five years, SPS teachers have seen a 23% total increase in pay. 

The division is requesting an additional $7 million from the city for safety and security measures, student achievement, and increased costs of operations. This would bring the total amount of city funding for SPS to $82,332,201.

The proposed budget also allows for six new staff positions: three English as a second language (ESL) teachers, one academic coach, one reading specialist, and one Human Resources recruiting specialist. All of these staff additions are part of the Superintendent’s Destination 2028 strategic plan. 

Gordon said the fastest growing SPS population is English language learners (ELL), with the largest growth seen at Mack Benn, Jr. and Florence Bowser elementary schools. 

Non-regular day school is another dramatic increase of 383%, $977,131, for summer school, Saturday Academy, and before and after school tutoring. The All-In Grant was funding these programs, but SPS must absorb those costs now that the grant is ending later this year.

For general education instruction costs, purchased services increased by $57,000 to pay for Communities in Schools (CIS) and a copier contract increase. Athletic trainers and officials increased by $120,000 for three full-time trainers. Textbooks increased by $455,000 for Virginia Literacy Act materials. $25,000 will go toward middle school athletic helmet replacements.

Secondary career and technical education instruction changes include a $48,500 increase for S.T.A.R. student interns.

A gifted and talented instruction notable change is $19,000 for increased dual enrollment fees. 

Intervention, prevention, and remediation instruction would see a $44,682 increase for behavioral and remediation training, materials, and Tidewater Regional Alternative Education slots.

Media services instructional support would decrease by $15,400 due to $12,000 being reorganized under technology media software, no new dues or subscriptions, and an overall materials and supplies cost decrease. 

Instructional support services could increase by $13,100 due to an increased cost of graduation venue, ELL teacher training, and materials needed for World Languages and ELL.

SPS Board Services will see an increase in the cost of travel and training, and an increase in the cost of food because of an increase in meetings. SPS litigation service could increase by $38,470.

Human resources admin is proposed to increase by $33,000 for a new teacher recruitment specialist and other materials and supplies.

Vehicle operation can increase by $327,500 for private carriers, insurance, vehicle parts, and uniforms. Gordon mentioned some of this will be to ensure safe transportation of students with special needs such as special seatbelts and plexiglass dividers. 

The HES Facilities Management contract will have a total budget effect of $1,927. $528,073 was spent initially at the contract inception, and $420,000 will be saved.

Technology instruction is proposed to increase by nearly $382,000 for software and support and local match-transfer ads. 

Citizens are encouraged to ask any budget-related questions on the SPS Finance Department’s website.