FY 2017-18 Final Budget Approved
The Board of County Supervisors Wednesday night (4/19/2017) voted 6-2 to approve a tax rate sufficient to support the School Board's advertised FY 2018 Budget. They then unanimously approved the School Budget itself. Approved FY 2017-18 Budget (PDF).
The now-finalized $1.14 billion operating and debt service budget funds the education of nearly 91,000 Prince William County Public Schools students in the upcoming 2017-18 school year. It maintains all existing programs and services, and gives all employees a one-step compensation increase to help retain and recruit the best teachers and staff. Final budget approval confirms that the 13th PWCS high school near Jiffy Lube Live will be built with capacity for 500 more students than originally planned.
Other factors:
- Cover the costs of more than 2,400 students added since passage of the FY 2017 budget;
- Invest $8.4 million in classroom, school divisionwide technology improvements;
- Add debt payments for school construction and improvements, including the new non-traditional school at Independent Hill;
- Fund the opening the new Covington-Harper Elementary School at Potomac Shores;
- Expand funding for the Graduation Summer Academy;
- Allow hiring a new teacher for autistic students;
- Make a $500,000 investment in professional development and Professional Learning Communities training for teachers;
- Earmark nearly $190,000 toward the future purchase of a badly needed human resources tracking system.
- Add 6.5 school nurse positions;
- Provide four new administrative interns to help elementary schools close the student performance gap.
- Adjust the current pay scale to boost starting pay for new teachers and classified employees, and
- Add a new top step to the pay scale, so those at the top of their grade will benefit from the new step increase.
The School Board, Superintendent, and countless staff members worked long and hard to assure the best use of every available dollar to give PWCS students the instruction, support, and facilities they need for a healthy, safe, and truly World-Class educational experience. The new budget year is July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018.
School Board FY 2017-18 Budget Goes to County Supervisors
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) spent much of their March 29 meeting getting a close-up look at the School Board's advertised budget for the coming school year.
School Board Chairman Ryan Sawyers presented details of the FY 2018 PWCS Budget (PDF), and how it meets the needs of more than 90,000 students and 10,500 school division employees next year and into the future. County Supervisors, School Board members and staff had a productive exchange on topics ranging from class sizes and school construction needs, to teacher pay and enrollment growth.
Funding from county revenue provides approximately half of the total PWCS budget. Final BOCS approval for the School Board's Advertised Plan is needed by the end of April. Any BOCS changes in expected revenue would require the School Board to alter its spending plans.
Advertised PWCS FY 2017-18 Budget Passes
A $1.14 billion dollar budget will fund the education of nearly 91,000 Prince William County Public Schools students in the upcoming 2017-18 school year, contingent on expected county funding.
School Board members approved the 2018 Advertised Budget at their March 15 meeting, cementing plans to maintain all existing programs and services, and give all employees a one-step compensation increase to help retain and recruit the best teachers and staff.
The budget also confirms School Board plans to adopt a design for the 13 PWCS high school that expands its capacity by 500 students. Special funding for the larger high school, near Jiffy Lube Live in Gainesville, and site acquisition or school construction projects on the county's east side, was included in the budget as part of an agreement with the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS).
PWCS FY 2017-18 Budget Plan Advances With Step Increase Intact
At their March 8 mark-up session, School Board members cast a straw vote supporting an enhanced version of the Superintendent's recently amended budget proposal. Dr. Walts revised his original proposal to include a one-step advancement on the pay scale for all employees. Step adjustments result in an average 2.8% employee pay increase, but individual increases vary.