Schools ask the city for $2.9 million more as federal money falls away

What happened

The superintendent's proposed 2026-27 operating budget is $116.3 million, 1.3% more than this year. Behind that small increase, federal funding is expected to drop from $10.3 million to $8.0 million, a fall of $2.3 million, while the division asks the City of Danville to raise its contribution from $32.5 million to $35.4 million. State funding rises only $0.9 million, to $71.9 million. Almost all of the $2.9 million asked of the city is staff costs: $961,757 for the local match on a 2% state pay rise, $841,851 to absorb a 7% rise in health insurance premiums, $306,000 to lift certain classified jobs to market rates after a compensation study, and $301,139 for a 2% bonus, leaving $500,000 to expand remediation. The board adopted the 2026-2027 operating budget on June 18, 2026 and amended it in August.

Why it matters to families

A $2.3 million fall in federal money is a real hole, and the division is asking city taxpayers to fill it in a city whose median household income is about $44,000. More than 80% of the budget is pay and benefits, so if the city does not fund the request the gap has to close in staffing. Bus drivers, aides and cafeteria staff are the classified jobs a compensation study is usually about, and they are the hardest posts to fill.

The evidence

The 2026-2027 Superintendent's Budget Request, dated March 19, 2026, gives a budget-at-a-glance table with state revenue moving from $71.0 million to $71.9 million, city from $32.5 million to $35.4 million, federal from $10.3 million to $8.0 million and other funds flat at $1.0 million, for a total operating budget of $116.3 million against $114.8 million. Its detail of changes starts from the adopted 2025-26 city appropriation of $32,483,672 and asks for $35,394,419, itemised as $961,757, $306,000, $301,139 and $841,851 under "Investing In Our Employees" plus $500,000 for Meaningful Engagement Initiatives. The board's published meeting index records "Adoption of the 26-27 Operating Budget" as an action item on June 18, 2026 and "Amendment to FY 2026-2027 Budget" on August 6, 2026, but not what was finally adopted.

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