Norfolk School Board approves budget including raises, new ‘out of the box’ initiatives
The Norfolk School Board voted Wednesday on a $671.6 million budget, including staff raises, plans to “right-size” the division and “out of the box” initiatives.
The budget was approved 5-2 with members Tanya Bhasin and Rodney Jordan voting against.
Vice chair Noelle Gabriel said the budget is “holistic and prescriptive” regarding staff compensation and student needs. Bhasin explained she wasn’t ready to support it because she would have liked more positions such as social workers and psychologists and more compensation for teachers in hard-to-staff areas.
Superintendent Sharon Byrdsong included funding to pilot four community school models called Equity and Excellence Learning Centers at Booker T. Washington High School, Ruffner Academy and Jacox and P.B. Young elementary schools. These schools will have mental health, emotional support, medical and family engagement services.
Roughly $1 million will be used for staffing and other needs. The board discussed possibly expanding the program into other schools after this phase. During the March 1 board retreat, Byrdsong described the centers and possible plans to turn Lake Taylor High into a career and technical public charter school as innovative and “bold.”
The adopted budget includes funding for a feasibility study looking at the structural and curricular needs for Lake Taylor. A comprehensive CTE school has been discussed over the past several years with no definitive action. The budget’s executive summary states that “several years of planning” remain before implementing the program.
The school board also is looking at ways to “right size” the division. Reports show schools operating under capacity have cost the division $81 million during the past 10 years; the board will consider returning some properties to the city. The board is considering moving the alternative program at the Madison School to the former Easton Preschool building. Planning and community engagement on how to move forward is expected to cost $130,000.
Staff across the board will see raises, though the increase varies depending on the position and experience. The final phase of the division leadership’s plan to address pay compression — when the pay gap between more experienced staff and new staff shrinks because of wage stagnation — will be implemented under this budget.
The budget now goes to the City Council for approval.
Kelsey Kendall, kelsey.kendall@virginiamedia.com
