PW Schools budget: one-step pay increase and boosts pay for starting teachers and classified workers

Prince William Board of County Supervisors April 19 voted to approve a tax rate sufficient to support the School Board’s advertised FY 2018 Budget and unanimously approved the School Budget itself.

The now-finalized $1.14 billion operating and debt service budget funds the education of nearly 91,000 Prince William County Public Schools students in the upcoming 2017–18 school year. It maintains all existing programs and services, and gives all employees a one-step compensation increase to help retain and recruit the best teachers and staff. Final budget approval confirms that the 13th PWCS high school near Jiffy Lube Live will be built with capacity for 500 more students than originally planned.

Other factors: 

  Cover the costs of more than 2,400 students added since passage of the FY 2017 budget;
  Invest $8.4 million in classroom, school Divisionwide technology improvements;
  Add debt payments for school construction and improvements, including the new non-traditional school at Independent Hill;
  Fund the opening the new Covington-Harper Elementary School at Potomac Shores;
  Expand funding for the Graduation Summer Academy;
  Allow hiring a new teacher for autistic students;
  Make a $500,000 investment in professional development and Professional Learning Communities training for teachers;
  Earmark nearly $190,000 toward the future purchase of a human resources tracking system.
  Add 6.5 school nurse positions;
  Provide four new administrative interns to help elementary schools close the student performance gap.
  Adjust the current pay scale to boost starting pay for new teachers and classified employees, and
  Add a new top step to the pay scale, so those at the top of their grade will benefit from the new step increase.

“The School Board, Superintendent, and countless staff members worked long and hard to assure the best use of every available dollar to give PWCS students the instruction, support, and facilities they need for a healthy, safe, and truly World-Class educational experience,” according to the news release.

The new budget year is July 1, 2017–June 30, 2018.