Buchanan County school board adopts 2024–25 superintendent’s budget, approves related operational purchases

The Buchanan County Public Schools board voted to approve the superintendent’s proposed budget for the 2024–25 fiscal year following a public presentation and discussion.

The budget presentation, led by financial director Cheryl Tester and superintendent Sherry Fletcher, frames the plan around the board’s stated priority of supporting the “whole child.” Tester described revenue sources including state, local and federal grants and highlighted statutory deadlines for budget submission. Fletcher said the budget covers about 2,261 students and “reflects our commitment to providing a high quality education,” and cited line items the administration identified as priorities: increased tutoring, expanded STEM and robotics offerings, enrichment and remediation, and safety and staff professional development.

Tester and Fletcher detailed the funding mix the administration used in preparing the plan: the presentation listed roughly $25,003,977 in state funding, $8,100,000 in local funding, $4,778,380 in federal and state grants, $3,983,136 for food services and $767,000 in textbook funds. The presenters noted that ESSER federal grant funding is ending and that technical adjustments from the Virginia Board of Education’s re‑benchmarking and the governor’s introduced biannual budget will affect the state share of cost. Tester also explained that state projections reduced average daily membership (ADM) compared with earlier estimates, which changes the distribution of state basic aid.

Board members discussed county funding levels and the effect of personnel costs — board members repeatedly noted the large share of the budget devoted to salaries and benefits. After discussion, a motion to approve the 2024–25 budget passed on a recorded roll call with six affirmative votes and one negative vote.

During the same meeting the board approved several budget‑related operational items the administration said were funded within existing category allocations. The board authorized the purchase of two food‑service vehicles (a Chevrolet Traverse and a cargo van) using food‑service funds, approved a tire balancer for the bus garage (procurement to follow usual bid procedures for items over $5,000), and approved award of a milk contract (administration named the vendor; board noted limited local vendor options). Board members also approved a request to remain in regular school schedule on the date of the upcoming solar eclipse so teachers can use the event for classroom activity.

On summer‑school pay, administrators said less ESSER money is available and proposed reducing summer pay rates from prior ESSER‑era levels. The board approved summer‑school pay at $200 per day for teachers and $100 per day for aides, cafeteria and bus drivers; the board discussed funding options and the motion carried with one recorded no vote.

The meeting closed with routine business — approval of minutes, payables and a personnel hire for maintenance — and the board set its next meeting for April 23 at 5:30 p.m.

Why it matters: the adopted budget sets local spending priorities for instruction and student supports, locks in the proposed one‑step pay increase the administration cited for employees, and reflects reduced federal pandemic‑era grant support that the board said will require closer attention to local and state revenue assumptions.

Quotes and attributions in this article are drawn from the board presentation and on‑record votes and statements by financial director Cheryl Tester and superintendent Sherry Fletcher during the March 19 meeting. The board approved the budget and the operational items listed above; the motion passed on a recorded roll call (six yes, one no).