Superintendent Dr. John Murray today presented a proposed $1.03 billion balanced operating budget for fiscal year 2027 that centers on three major priorities: employee compensation, a new major maintenance program for aging school facilities and a long-term bus replacement plan to improve safety and reliability for students and families.
“This is a balanced budget designed to meet essential needs that support student success and sustain a high-quality educational experience,” Murray said. “Our schools are a major reason families choose to live in Chesterfield County, and continued, sustained investment is foundational to maintaining that strength.”
Three key budget priorities
Employee compensation
The proposed budget includes an approximate 5% salary increase for employees, reinforcing the division’s commitment to attracting and retaining a strong workforce. Teachers and school-level administrators would receive a 4% cost-of-living adjustment plus a step increase, while other employees would receive a 5% increase. The proposal also raises the starting teacher salary to $57,277 and increases the division’s minimum wage to $15.28 per hour, along with targeted increases to academic and athletic stipends, substitute pay and more.
Major maintenance program
To address aging infrastructure across the division’s 68 schools, the budget launches a proactive and sustainable approach to major maintenance. The proposal includes $1 million in additional operating funding to support a combination of maintenance-specific borrowing and pay-as-you-go funds that will allow approximately $30 million in maintenance and repair work in FY 2027. This approach aims to repair and upgrade critical building systems before failures disrupt learning.
Bus replacement program
Recognizing that school days begin on the bus for most students, the budget introduces a responsible, long-term bus replacement program. Currently, about 15% of the division’s fleet of 635 buses is more than 15 years old. Beginning in FY 2027, the proposal calls for the purchase of approximately 45 new buses each year, improving safety features, reliability, ride comfort and long-term operating costs.
Additional investments and budget overview
The proposed operating budget represents a $47.9 million increase over FY 2026, including significant investments in workforce compensation, required cost increases and targeted student support. It also accounts for rising employee health and dental insurance costs, the opening of Deep Creek Elementary School, expanded programming at Career and Technical Center @ Hull and planning staff for a new west area high school.
Projected revenue increases include $33.6 million in additional state funding and $14.3 million in combined county and local funding, along with a $12.8 million expense reduction related to a technical adjustment by the Virginia Retirement System (there are no changes to employee retirement benefits).
Looking ahead
While the proposal is a balanced budget, the school division does have additional needs that are not included in the budget. Chesterfield County Public Schools continues to advocate for improvements to Virginia’s school funding formula, consistent with findings from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission’s cost-of-education study.
Community members are encouraged to attend upcoming School Board work sessions where details about different areas of the proposed budget will be shared and town hall meetings where they can learn more about the overall budget and budget process and share feedback. More information about the proposed FY 2027 budget, meeting dates and opportunities to provide feedback is available at oneccps.org/budget.