Henrico School Board to vote on county’s adopted $971-million schools budget
After a months-long contentious budget process, Henrico School Board members will meet at 2 p.m. on Thursday to make a final vote on the county’s adopted schools budget for 2026-2027.
The Henrico Board of Supervisors approved the county’s proposed $2-billion budget on Tuesday night, which will help fund a Henrico Schools budget of $971-million for the upcoming school year. The county’s adopted schools budget provides about $4.2 million less than the school board’s initial recommended budget passed in February.
Due to a required 3% reduction implemented across all county department budgets, HCPS will need to place 62 new positions on hold for the upcoming school year until more funding is available. The adopted budget would also provide all schools staff with a 3% pay increase.
On Tuesday, the board of supervisors defended the county’s reduction of the schools budget, saying that the county still implemented a $27-million increase to the budget compared to last year that relied on 98% of local funding. Supervisors also denounced the “false narrative” that HCPS is not fully funded this year.
The school board will also vote on the 2026-2027 Special Education Title VI-B Plan, which allocates $11.8 million in federal funding to services for students with disabilities, and on new changes to employee sick leave policies that allow staff to take more days off in the case of emergencies.
Liana Hardy is the Citizen’s government and education reporter. Support her work and articles like this one by making a contribution to the Citizen.
