District overview
Roanoke City Public Schools
How Roanoke City Public Schools is funded and governed, and what changed after the city rewrote its funding formula.
Where does the money come from, and who decides?
Roanoke City Public Schools has no taxing power of its own and no elected school board. Roanoke City Council appoints all seven board members and sets the local funding policy. For twelve years that policy gave the schools 40 percent of the city's projected tax revenue, with a settling-up payment at the end of the year if actual revenue came in higher than forecast. In January 2026 council approved a seventh amended funding policy that ends percent-of-revenue funding: the division now receives 34 percent of any rise or fall in revenue growth, measured against a flat-funded base of $106.9 million. The board stated it did not support the change. Separately, the division was required to hand its accumulated savings back to the city, so the cushion it had used to absorb a flat-funded year no longer exists.
No election, no local tax
All seven board members are appointed by Roanoke City Council to three-year staggered terms, up to three terms each. Residents cannot vote a member out; the route in is an application to the City Clerk's Office.
40 percent became 34 percent of growth
The old policy shared a percentage of projected revenue and trued up at year end. The new policy shares only growth, from a fixed base of $106.9 million. Staff put the cumulative effect at nearly $39 million over five years.
The savings account is gone
At the city's request the board transferred $20.5 million of fund balance to the city. Staff stressed this was a one-time transfer and not itself the cause of the shortfall, but it removed the reserve that covered a flat-funded year using $10.3 million of savings.
Three quarters of the budget is people
Staff told the board that with roughly 75 percent of the budget in personnel, a gap of this scale could not be closed without decisions about positions, which is how a funding formula change became a reduction in force.
None of this means the division is badly run. It has clean audits, eight consecutive Meritorious Budget Awards, and every school fully accredited under Virginia's new accountability system. The pressure described here comes from a change in how the city shares revenue, not from a finding that the schools mismanaged money.
Where the division stands
Figure cited at the March 24, 2026 meeting alongside about 13,000 students and 2,200 employees.
Narrowed to about $14 million by March 24 on updated state revenue and new grant funding.
Down from about 180 first identified. Roughly 65 employees either lose a job or move roles; the rest are vacancies, resignations and retirements.
Built up in part with federal pandemic relief funds. Staff said using one-time savings for ongoing costs would not have solved the underlying problem.
A division projection of the compounding difference between the old and new policies, not an audited figure.
Under Virginia's new accountability and accreditation system, which separates accreditation from performance results. Staff noted discrepancies were still being found in the state's final reports.
Up from about 900 the previous year and 750 the year before.
Context, not a division-reported current count. Division staff cited about 13,000 students in March 2026.
Major projects
Preston Park Elementary School and the first phase of new boundaries
Opening, boundaries approvedA new Preston Park Elementary School with room for 700 pupils and some of the division's largest classrooms. On May 26, 2026 the board approved the first of three boundary phases, which sets Preston Park's catchment and moves pupils out of Monterey to relieve crowding there. Families affected were told before the last day of school and can look up their 2026-27 school on the division's website.
- Staff report the Preston Park project running about six weeks behind
- Boundary study delayed by weather; Preston Park update to the board
- Phase one boundary plan approved
- All affected families notified before the last day of school
- Ribbon cutting and dedication announced for September 10, 2026
Funding
Capital fund; the division was appropriated $17.87 million in the capital fund for specified projects
Closing the 2026-27 funding gap
Decided, being implementedA projected $16.5 million shortfall, later about $14 million, was closed with a reduction in force of about 170 positions, a reorganisation moving some central office staff into schools, a one-week unpaid furlough for central office administrators including the superintendent, and programme reductions including the Plato gifted programme and Virginia Preschool Initiative classrooms. The board also implemented a 2 percent raise.
- Council's seventh amended funding policy explained to the board
- $16.5 million gap presented; staff warn positions will be affected
- Working session on options, with town hall and survey feedback
- Reduction in force, furloughs and reorganisation approved
- Programme changes and budget reductions for 2026-27 approved
- 2026-27 budget adopted
Funding
Local funding under the city's seventh amended school funding policy, plus state revenue and grants
Superintendent succession
Announced, search not yet begunDr. Verletta White told the board on June 23, 2026 that she will retire at the end of the 2026-27 school year, after seven years as superintendent and 35 years in public education. She said she will lead through the coming year and support the board's search.
- Retirement announced to the board
- Board holds its annual organizational meeting and re-elects its chair and vice chair
Funding
Division operating budget
Plato gifted programme consolidation
Approved, phasing inPlato is the division's specialty gifted programme for elementary pupils, previously run at two schools. From 2026-27 it no longer takes third graders, and it operates at Highland Park Elementary only, so pupils at the Fairview site move there. Staff said gifted and talented teaching continues in every elementary school and that no special education service was reduced.
- Consolidating specialty centres raised in community feedback
- Two-year phase-out and single-site consolidation brought for discussion
- Programme changes approved
Funding
Savings within the 2026-27 operating budget; the linked preschool classroom reduction was projected to save about $430,000
Recent news
Built from the division's official School Board Meetings YouTube playlist, refreshed weekly. Twenty-one board meeting recordings from September 9, 2025 to August 25, 2026 were reviewed.
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