We need to let the Guilford County Board of Commissioners know that we believe in funding our school district and this is important to us. Guilford County School Superintendent Dr. Whitney Oakley proposed a $947 million budget recommendation for the 2025-2026 school year in March, which was approved by the GCS Board of Education in April, following a public hearing.
“We are a people-driven organization, and without them, we are without purpose or product,” Superintendent Whitney Oakley shared while presenting her budget recommendation.
Per the Guilford County School website, the proposed plan, which totals $947,210,364, features the following highlights:
Investing in Educators: A $10 million increase in local teacher supplements to help recruit and retain high-quality teachers.
Competitive Pay for Classified Staff: $15.3 million allocated to increase the pay scale for non-certified employees.
Strengthening School Safety: $3 million dedicated to enhanced security measures, including middle and high school scanners, emergency radios, and security cameras.
Facility Improvements: Capital investments of $10.8 million including $7.9 million for emergency HVAC replacements, $952,000 for building repairs, $1.4 million for equipment and vehicles, and $504,000 for roof repairs.
With the completion of ESSER funding this year, GCS expects federal funding to decrease from approximately $82 million to about $54 million. Additionally, the district projects an increase of $8 million in legally required and sustaining operations costs.
More than $46.6 million of the district’s total local operating budget is required to be diverted to charter schools. A more than $7 million increase from last year. This money does not have to be spent in the same ways that GCS does. For example, the $535,391 that goes to charter schools from the GCS safety and security budget does not have to be spent on safety and security at charter schools.
The Guilford County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the proposed Guilford County Schools budget on Thursday, June 5. They are scheduled to vote on the budget on Wednesday, June 18.