VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Beach school leaders have to jump through one more hoop before giving all staff a pay raise!
Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence said, “It’s been needed for a long time and we are finally in a position to be able to do that, so I’m excited about that.”
On Tuesday, Spence presented the division’s budget to city council members. He’s proposing an $833.5 million Virginia Beach school budget for the 2021/2022 school year.
“It is one of the best budgets we have ever put in front of our board and our council,” Spence explained.
Virginia Beach City Council members heard about the plan to give all school staff a 4.5 percent raise on Tuesday. The budget also includes adding more money to hire additional guidance counselors and helping special education needs as well as expanding programs inside the division.
“I have confidence and our school board has confidence that this budget is the budget that can make that happen,” he said.
After Spence’s presentation, he answered several questions from council members.
Councilwoman Rosemary Wilson asked, “I read that the [American] Rescue [Plan] Act, that there’s $82 million coming to the schools and I was kind of wondering what you're able to use that money for?”
“It’s a substantial amount of money, I want to keep repeating for people that it is not ongoing money,” Spence explained. That is one-time money and when it’s gone, it’s gone.”
Spence said while some people want him to take that money out of the budget and supplement it with the grant money, he said he doesn’t think that’s a good idea.
He said, “Ultimately we would have to find a way as a city to get that money back.”
City council members will vote on the budget on May 15.
Spence also gave city council members an update on schools under construction. He said Princess Anne Middle School and Plaza Annex will be completed this year. The work at Lynnhaven Middle School will wrap up in 2023.