School board approves $1.99 million budget amendment to restore teacher steps, boost reserves and fund capital needs
April 23, 2024 | COLONIAL HEIGHTS CITY PBLC SCHS, School Districts, Virginia
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The Colonial Heights School Board on the evening approved Budget Amendment No. 1 for the 2024–25 school year to allocate $1,985,759 in additional city closeout revenue toward pay, benefits and capital needs.
Business Services presented the proposal, which would spread teacher pay steps to 1% increments, fund a retroactive step restoration for staff who were employed in 2021 but not given a step in 2020–21 (costing $133,500 for eligible teachers), and add $130,000 to eliminate step loss for non-teacher employees following a pay-scale study. The district will also add $150,000 to the health insurance reserve to protect the self-funded plan from future claims and premium volatility.
The amendment includes $110,000 to purchase a 24-passenger bus for small-team transportation, $15,000 for athletic-field water-service repairs and several asphalt and ceiling repair projects across middle and elementary campuses. The board also proposed allocating $5,185 as a supplement for the Girls on the Run program and returning $689,900 to the contingency fund pending state funding clarity.
"When we closed out the 2022–23 fiscal year the city received more revenue than anticipated — $1,985,759 — and this plan reflects a prioritized way to invest those one-time funds," the district presenter said. (Transcript cites Virginia city closeout numbers.)
Board members asked for details about eligibility for the retroactive steps and about the contingency should state funding be different than expected; staff confirmed that retroactive pay would apply only to staff who worked in the specified prior year and that some allocations would be held until state revenue is finalized.
The board approved the amendment by voice vote.
The action follows the board’s earlier March budget and the district’s compensation study; staff said the amendment aims to correct step compression and better align pay scales with market comparisons. The district will implement the specified pay-scale changes and proceed with the capital purchases as recommended.
Business Services presented the proposal, which would spread teacher pay steps to 1% increments, fund a retroactive step restoration for staff who were employed in 2021 but not given a step in 2020–21 (costing $133,500 for eligible teachers), and add $130,000 to eliminate step loss for non-teacher employees following a pay-scale study. The district will also add $150,000 to the health insurance reserve to protect the self-funded plan from future claims and premium volatility.
The amendment includes $110,000 to purchase a 24-passenger bus for small-team transportation, $15,000 for athletic-field water-service repairs and several asphalt and ceiling repair projects across middle and elementary campuses. The board also proposed allocating $5,185 as a supplement for the Girls on the Run program and returning $689,900 to the contingency fund pending state funding clarity.
"When we closed out the 2022–23 fiscal year the city received more revenue than anticipated — $1,985,759 — and this plan reflects a prioritized way to invest those one-time funds," the district presenter said. (Transcript cites Virginia city closeout numbers.)
Board members asked for details about eligibility for the retroactive steps and about the contingency should state funding be different than expected; staff confirmed that retroactive pay would apply only to staff who worked in the specified prior year and that some allocations would be held until state revenue is finalized.
The board approved the amendment by voice vote.
The action follows the board’s earlier March budget and the district’s compensation study; staff said the amendment aims to correct step compression and better align pay scales with market comparisons. The district will implement the specified pay-scale changes and proceed with the capital purchases as recommended.
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