Quick Facts
- Dr. Lisa Pennycuff, Interim Superintendent of Schools, presented the Fiscal Year 2026 proposed budget to the School Board tonight.
- The proposed budget includes a 3% salary increase for all eligible employees, substantial investment in the teacher pay scale, and outlines future improvements to our school buildings.
- More information can be found in Dr. Pennycuff’s
budget letter.
- The School Board will hold a public hearing next week before voting on the budget at its February meeting. More information on the next steps in the process is below.
Full Message/Details
Dear Families, Faculty, and Staff,
We hope your week is off to a great start. We are writing to inform you of the introduction of the Fiscal Year 2026 proposed budget.
At this evening’s School Board meeting, Dr. Lisa Pennycuff, Interim Superintendent of Schools, presented the Fiscal Year 2026 proposed budget for the Board’s consideration. As Dr. Pennycuff shared, from classroom instruction to transportation service to the cleaning of our schools, we have a dedicated team of faculty and staff who are committed every day to providing the highest quality education and supports to our students. Each year, the budget is an opportunity to invest in this important work.
Specifically, the proposed budget includes the following:
- 3% salary increase for all eligible employees effective July 1
- Funding to cover a significant portion of the increase to health insurance costs for Calendar Year 2025
- Substantial investment in lifting the teacher salary scale
- Continuation of financial incentives for substitutes
- Two school psychology interns
- Four middle school assistant track and field coaches
- Expansion of The Hanover Center for Trades and Technology
- Designating Mechanicsville Elementary School as the next replacement school
- Funding for the replacement of an additional, to-be-determined campus style elementary school
For a complete overview of the proposed budget, we recommend reviewing Dr. Pennycuff’s presentation, which will be available
on BoardDocs tomorrow. A recording of the presentation will also be available. In the meantime, you can find Dr. Pennycuff’s letter to the School Board regarding the proposed budget
on our website.
The School Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed budget on Tuesday, January 28 at 6 p.m. More details on the meeting will be shared later this week.
Pending the School Board’s review and approval of the proposed budget, Dr. Pennycuff will present it to the Board of Supervisors in February for further consideration on the School Board’s behalf. The School Board is scheduled to adopt a budget in May after the Board of Supervisors adopts its budget. More detailed information about the timeline is included at the end of the presentation.
As Dr. Pennycuff shared this evening, this proposed budget has a clear vision in mind: supporting our students, those who care for them, and the learning environments in which they learn and grow. We appreciate your continued support for the life-changing work taking place in our schools each day.
Thank you.
Hanover County Public Schools