Roanoke County Public Schools propose $373.4 million budget, cite teacher pay gap

Superintendent Ken Nicely and Susan Peterson, director of finance for Roanoke County Public Schools, presented the school division’s FY2024–25 proposed budget of $373,400,000 to the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors on April 9.

Peterson said the budget assumes an average daily membership (ADM) estimate of 13,037.5 and projects $12,958,088 in incremental operating revenue. She told supervisors that 53% of general fund revenue is estimated to come from the state and about 46% from the county transfer, and that once the state issues final revenue estimates the county transfer will be adjusted downward by $840,663 from an earlier estimate.

The proposed budget adds 45 new positions (36 full-time and 26 part-time permanent substitute positions are noted, with 36.1 FTEs funded by expiring ESSER funds that will sunset in September), budgets a 3.75% pay raise, and allocates $95,000,000 in debt for three construction/renovation projects. Peterson said 79% of general fund spending supports employee compensation and benefits; the budget also includes $1,300,000 for health insurance contributions and $1,000,000 for substitutes.

Board members pressed staff on teacher pay competitiveness. Nicely and Peterson acknowledged a pay gap with neighboring divisions, citing the JLARC report on statewide underfunding and noting the division’s plan to prioritize compensation increases if additional state funds materialize. Nicely said the division is piloting “opportunity-ready” portfolios for high school seniors and will scale that program next year.

Peterson and Nicely said the presented figures are preliminary because final state revenue numbers were not yet available; they expect draft state numbers in mid-April followed by a one-week internal capital process and additional school-board approval steps before returning to the supervisors with a revised appropriation if needed.