$2 billion schools budget incudes raises, 125 new teacher assistants

The Prince William County School Board approved a $2 billion budget during its meeting on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. The FY 2025 budget starts July 1, 2024. Superintendent Dr. LaTanya D. McDade’s budget will give employees an average pay increase of 6%.

The division will also add 125 new teacher assistants serving students with special needs, 23 kindergarten teacher assistants, 16 reading specialists, and a stipend for Individualized Education Plans (IEP) case managers.

The Capital Improvements Program (CIP) funds new additions and facilities to address need, renovation projects for older schools, and advancing sustainability goals.

Moreover, Board budget allocations will fund additional personnel for a STEM/robotics coordinator, human trafficking specialist, Language Arts supervisor, and administrative interns at middle and high schools. Further investments are made in teachers with 19 and 20 years of experience, along with a lifted experience cap to 25 years of teaching experience.

The school’s budget now lies in the hands of the Board of County Supervisors, which transfers 57.23% of its budget to the school division. It approves the county’s overall budget in April.

The Virginia General Assembly’s budget, which includes an additional $1.2 billion in general fund support for Direct Aid for Public Education over the upcoming two years, provides $64.8 million more for PWCS than was in the Governor’s proposed budget, which reduced general fund support for Direct Aid by $294 million. Extra funding would include more help for English Learners ($14.6 million), the state’s share of 3% salary increases each year for teachers and staff ($32.7 million), and monies to maintain the state’s commitments to Virginia schools and local communities.

School Board Chairman Babur Lateef, running for Virginia Lt. Governor in 2025, urged Youngkin to pass the budget. However, Youngkin has the proposed budget, driven by Democrats who hold the majority in the General Assembly, a “backward” budget rife with tax increases. He said he would not approve the budget as it stands.