NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Norfolk School Board approved a $462.8-million division operating budget on Wednesday.
The budget includes “substantive recommendations to provide students and schools with additional support and includes $50 million of Coronavirus Relief funds approved by Congress in December,” the school division wrote in a news release Friday.
The budget will now head to City Council for consideration in May.
The budget focuses on five priority areas:
- Compensation
- Additional Resources for Schools and Students
- Technology Infrastructure
- Safety and Security
- Building Maintenance and Repairs
The superintendent recommends increasing pay for staff in multiple ways, including:
- Increase in the starting pay for teachers from $44,220 to $47,000;
- Provide all teachers a combined step raise and base salary adjustment averaging 5.1%;
- Increase the hourly pay rate for part-time teachers from $25 to $30;
- Increase the hourly pay rate for summer school teachers from $29.27 to $35;
- Provide classified employees a combined step raise and base salary adjustment averaging 5%;
- Provide administrators a combined step raise and base salary adjustment averaging 3%; and
- Provide bonuses and/or incentives to custodians, bus drivers, and school nutrition staff.
The budget approved by the school board would try to combat learning loss by adding new staff positions, more support for different subjects, additional software to support blended instruction and more professional development opportunities for teachers.
Safety is also emphasized in the budget. The superintendent recommended adding more security officers, additional funding for personal protective equipment and funding for additional supplies to avoid sharing materials.
View details of the budget here.
