The Mathews County School Board adopted its amended budget on Tuesday night, responding to cuts made to the division’s request by county supervisors.
The school board had initially sought $10.14 million in local operating funds to cover, among other things, a 5 percent across-the-board raise for all school employees and picking up the increased cost of health insurance premiums. That request was cut by about $1 million by the county board.
In the amended budget adopted Tuesday night by a 4-0 vote (school board member Bobby Dobson was not present), the FY26 budget keeps the 5 percent (4 percent, plus step on the salary scale) raise for teachers, but limits the raise to 2 percent plus step for support staff and 1 percent plus step for student services and administration scales.
Additionally, 50 percent of increased premiums were passed along to employees. The impact of this change will be felt most by employees on the division’s Sentara plan, which saw a 21.4 percent increase in premiums...