PW School Superintendent proposes $1.14 billion operating and debt service spending plan

The proposed Prince William County Public Schools FY 2018 budget Superintendent Steve Walts unveiled at the Feb. 1 School Board meeting is designed to serve the needs and aspirations of each of the nearly 91,000 students expected for the 2017-18 school year. The proposed $1.14 billion operating and debt service spending plan addresses School Board priorities to maintain the incremental progress achieved to reduce class size, close achievement gaps, and limit the use of educational trailers.

“We are proud of our top-notch people, programs, and facilities that are essential to student success and continuous school improvement, but continue to find ourselves constrained by limits on funding,” Walts said. He highlighted some of the proposed plan’s benefits that reflect School Board and administration priorities.

The proposed FY 2018 budget, according to a news release,

• Maintains all existing educational programs and services;
 
• Provides more than $26 million for an additional 2,420 students more than included in the 2016-17 budget;
 
• Boosts employee pay by two percent to help attract and retain the best teachers and staff;
 
• Funds $8.9 million in increased debt payments on needed school construction and improvements, including the new non-traditional school at Independent Hill;
 
• Covers costs to open the new elementary school at Potomac Shores and the replacement for Kilby Elementary School; and
 
• Invests an additional $8.4 million toward meeting urgent classroom, school, and Division technology improvement needs.

Financial details of the proposed budget itself were provided in a budget presentation by Associate Superintendent for Finance and Support Services Dave Cline.

Walts noted that anticipated funding from the Prince William Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) and the Commonwealth of Virginia—while higher than the year before—lags behind costs of added enrollment, inflation, and growing expectations. PWCS anticipated per-pupil funding is still among the lowest in the Washington, DC metro area.

At the School Board’s direction, Walts also included a supplemental plan identifying $11.4 million to achieve greater progress in the areas of class-size reduction, elimination of trailers, closing the achievement gaps, and other budget priorities.

School Board members will review the proposal and hear from community members before providing input of their own. The School Board will hold work sessions and is slated to vote on a final budget and updated CIP on March 15.