Warren County School Board Discusses Budget Priorities and Challenges

The Warren County School Board gathered Tuesday evening to review the proposed $79.4 million budget for the 2025 fiscal year. Superintendent Dr. Christopher Ballenger led the discussion, outlining the district’s financial priorities, challenges, and the necessity of increased local funding.

“This is a needs-based budget that is student-focused and designed to ensure our schools have the resources they require,” Ballenger stated. “Our goal is to provide high-quality education, take care of our teachers and staff, and invest in the future of Warren County Public Schools (WCPS).”

Our goal is to provide high-quality education, take care of our teachers and staff, and invest in the future of Warren County Public Schools (WCPS) said Dr. Chris Ballenger. Below, Ballenger explains in detail a budget item.

The proposed budget represents a $3.2 million increase over the current year, with a $4.2 million additional request from the Warren County Board of Supervisors. Several School Board members expressed concern that such an increase may be difficult to secure, given the county’s financial situation.

State Funding Grows While Local Contributions Lag

One of the key issues discussed was the growing disparity between state and local funding. Over the past five years, state revenue for WCPS has increased by 41%, while local revenue has only grown by 8%.

“There’s a widening gap between what the state is providing and what the county is contributing,” Ballenger explained. “Since 2022, state revenue has gone up 23%, while local funding has increased just 3.5%. If local contributions had kept pace with state increases, we wouldn’t be facing the funding challenges we are today.”

Ballenger emphasized that while state funding has increased, much of that money is tied to specific mandates, such as required teacher salary raises. “The state gives us funding for salary increases, but we have to match those funds,” he said. “If we don’t, we lose that money. This isn’t just about asking for more—it’s about making sure we don’t fall behind.”

School Board Members Worry About Taxpayer Impact

Several board members expressed concerns about how a request for additional local funding might be received by taxpayers and the Board of Supervisors.

Board Member Thomas McFadden urged caution, saying that the county’s financial situation could make it difficult to approve the full request. McFadden went on to say that the board should be prepared with backup plans. “If the county flat-funds us again, we need to know what will be cut.”

Board Member Thomas McFadden expresses concerned about school budget.

Board Member Melanie Salins voiced strong concerns about the district’s budget request, urging a more strategic approach to avoid immediate rejection by the Board of Supervisors. She cautioned that asking for such a significant increase—$4.2 million in additional local funding—could backfire, leaving the district with no additional funds at all.

“The Board of Supervisors doesn’t have the money,” Melanie Salins said. “Any additional ask will come from taxpayers, and they are already struggling. I just don’t see this passing as it is.”

“I know I say this every year, and I know my words are never heeded, and then we never get our money,” Salins said. “So maybe this year, we try a different approach. Instead of asking for the world, tone it down and ask for the absolute critical things. Because what I suspect is going to happen is the Board of Supervisors is going to get this, ask of almost $3 million, and they’re going to say, ‘Have a nice day, you get nothing.’”

Salins also raised concerns about the county’s meals tax, which was approved in 2003 through a public referendum. She cited the original language of the measure, which specified that funds collected from the meals tax were to be used solely for school capital improvements. Salins questioned whether the money had been properly allocated over the years and requested a detailed breakdown of how much the tax generates annually and where those funds have been spent.

Robert Ballentine, Director of Finance explained meals tax revenue.

“I want to see specifically how much is coming in so that we can better track exactly where that money is going,” she said. “Hopefully, it can help with our budget in those areas.”

Robert Ballentine, Director of Finance explained that the meals tax revenue had historically been directed toward school debt service, particularly for the construction of the two high schools completed in 2007. However, he acknowledged that the overall debt service still exceeds the revenue collected from the meals tax, meaning additional county funds are needed to cover the remaining costs.

Salins also pushed back on the way local and state funding trends were being presented, arguing that state revenue increases should not be used as justification for larger local contributions. She pointed out that the state’s tax base includes wealthier regions like Northern Virginia, meaning that Warren County benefits from those resources without having to impose higher taxes locally.

“It’s a good thing when we see state revenue increasing, because that’s money coming from a tax base that is much more well-off than we are,” Salins said. “But to use that to suggest our local government isn’t doing enough? That’s not a fair comparison. We have to remember that when we ask for more local funding, it’s coming straight from Warren County taxpayers, many of whom are already struggling with rising property values and fixed incomes.”

Salins concluded by urging the board to avoid making budget discussions adversarial. “A budget season doesn’t go well when you create an adversarial relationship with the people you’re asking to get money from,” she said. “So maybe we try something different this year. Maybe we don’t. But I called it last year, and we didn’t get the funding then either.”

Staffing and Salary Adjustments

A major portion of the budget increase is allocated to salaries and personnel. The proposal includes a 3% salary increase plus a step increase for teachers, as well as pay adjustments for instructional assistants, bus drivers, speech therapists, and registered nurses.

Ballenger stressed that staffing is at the core of the budget. “We have to take care of our people,” he said. “Our workforce is our budget. When people talk about cutting costs, they need to understand that 80% of our budget is salaries and benefits. Any cuts impact the staff that directly serve our students.”

The budget also includes requests for additional staffing, including:

• A reading specialist at each elementary and middle school
• A special education teacher at Blue Ridge Technical Center
• A nursing coordinator to oversee school health services
• A translator/ELL teacher to support the district’s growing English learner population
• A public information officer to improve communication efforts

Ballenger noted that some positions from last year’s budget had been repurposed to better address student needs, rather than being completely new additions.

Rising Costs in Technology and Student Support Services

Doug Stefnoski, Director of Technology explained that the district’s contracts for internet services, cybersecurity, and PowerSchool have all seen price hikes, driving up costs.

“Costs are going up across the board,” Stefnoski said. “Between 2021 and now, just our three biggest technology expenses have risen by $40,000. We need to be prepared for these increases to continue.”

Doug Stefnoski, Director of Technology explains his part of the budget.

The district is also seeking funds to maintain and expand student intervention programs, particularly in reading. The Virginia Literacy Act (VLA) will expand to grades four through eight next year, requiring additional staff and instructional materials.

Human Resources Director Rachel Drake proposed covering the cost of background checks for new employees, which currently requires candidates to pay $27 upfront. She also requested an increase in substitute funding, as long-term staff absences have driven up substitute costs by nearly $30,000 in January alone.

Transportation and Food Services Facing Inflation Challenges

The district’s transportation costs are projected to increase 9.19%, largely due to rising fuel prices and maintenance expenses. WCPS currently operates 35 bus routes and transports over 2,300 students daily.

Dr. Charles Costner, Assistant Superintendent of Administration spoke about the increasing costs of school meals. The district serves over 3,100 breakfasts and 3,300 lunches daily. With food prices rising, Costner emphasized the need for additional funding to maintain quality and nutrition.

“Food prices have gone up, and we serve a lot of meals,” Costner said. “We need to make sure we’re meeting students’ needs without cutting quality.”

Capital Improvement Requests Include Tennis Court Renovations

The capital improvement portion of the budget includes a request for $875,278 in facility upgrades, including:

• $50,000 to update building management systems at five schools
• $366,000 for shingle replacement at Hilda J. Barbour Elementary
• $459,000 to renovate tennis courts at one of the high schools

Ballenger noted that a lower bid had reduced the tennis court renovation cost from an earlier estimate of $700,000.

“This is not just for athletics—it’s a community resource,” he said. “We also plan to add pickleball lines to expand public use.”

Next Steps and Public Hearings

The School Board will hold a public hearing on the budget at its next meeting on March 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Government Center. A joint session with the Board of Supervisors is scheduled for March 25 to discuss funding requests.

Ballenger reiterated that while the district would work with the county, the funding request reflects real needs.

“We’re not asking for extras,” he said. “We’re asking for what we need to keep our schools running effectively. We will continue working with the county to find a solution.”

Watch this budget portion of the Warren County School Board Work Session of February 19, 2025. Video by Mark Williams, Royal Examiner.