Board allows governor's school to deliver SOQ bonuses to 10 staff in FY2026

The Financing Facilities board approved a motion to allow the governor's school to provide Standards of Quality (SOQ) bonuses to 10 employees in fiscal year 2026, a presenter said at the meeting.

"As you recall, on April 21, the school board approved the SOQ bonus for the LCS staff, to be delivered in '27," Miss Jammies, the meeting chair, said. "I was subsequently notified by the governor's school that they would prefer to deliver their funding, so SOQ bonus in FY2026." She told the board the governor's school operates under its own VDOE code and uses its local match to offset required matching funds.

Following the presentation, a committee member moved to approve the request to allow the earlier payment; another member seconded and the board signaled approval by voice vote. The transcript records members saying "Aye," but does not provide a numerical roll-call tally.

The item affects the timing of an SOQ bonus the school board had previously scheduled for 2027. According to the presenter, the change would let the governor's school make payments sooner to a limited number of employees (10 were specified). The transcript does not include additional budget figures or an explanation of how the timing change will be recorded in the broader LCS budget.

The board then moved on to other business and into a closed session on a separate contract matter. The meeting scheduled its next Financing Facilities session for Tuesday, June 9 at 3:30 p.m. in the boardroom.