At their meeting on Tuesday April 19, the Goochland County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved our School Board’s budget request for the 20222-2023 school year. Please join me in thanking the Board of Supervisors for their ongoing support of public education in our community. Highlights of the approved budget follows:
Goal 1: Instruction and Lifelong Learning
Additional funding to programs that help students continue toward their academic growth goals and to prepare for academic success
Kindergarten Countdown Camp
Power Scholars Academy
Summer Intercessions
New grant funded positions: GMS reading specialist and additional full time RES counselor
Goal 2: Inclusive and Engaging Culture
Our people are directly responsible for our success and a significant portion of our budget is dedicated to improving compensation and benefits for all staff. This approved budget includes a 5 percent minimum raise for ALL employees. This would equate to a 3 percent merit increase for successful performance and a 2 percent market adjustment.
In addition, the approved budget includes a revision to the teacher salary scale that will result in a 7% raise for teachers year over year. Significant increases are recommended for our employees on scales UA through UD that equate to a raise of over 10% for teammates on these scales.
In order to provide the greatest benefit to our employees, there is no increase in health insurance costs to employees. Raises earned by our workforce will not be offset by an increase in health insurance premiums.
Goal 3: Facilities, Resources, and Technology
Priorities include:
New and expanded operational software and contracts in the operational budget
$2,539,767 in capital improvement funding for significant upgrades to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning at Goochland High School, four vehicles for student transportation, one school bus, and $600,000 in additional funding for the new GES
The additional investment in public education over the current year budget is an additional $2,909,317 in the operating budget. Overall, nearly 80 percent of budgeted expenditures will be focused on classroom instruction and technology, 7.8 percent on operations and maintenance, 6.8 percent on technology, 6.5 percent on transportation, and 6.3 percent on attendance and health. The approved budget also includes an increase in funding from the Goochland County Board of Supervisors of $1 million, for a total of $25,500,000 in local funding.
I am grateful for the collaboration between the Goochland County School Board and Board of Supervisors for prioritizing public education in our community. With these approved and appropriated funds, our school division will be able to continue to provide the level of instruction and excellence in the future our community has come to expect.
Yours in Service,
Jeremy J. Raley, Ed.D., Superintendent