Guilford County Schools Proposes $961 Million Budget, Prioritizing Teacher Pay and Safety

Guilford County Schools unveiled a $961 million proposed budget for 2026-27, asking county commissioners for $24.6 million more than last year while simultaneously closing three schools, freezing central office hiring, and stretching special education caseloads to their limits.

Superintendent Dr. Whitney Oakley and Chief Financial Officer Tyler Beck presented the proposal to the Board of Education on Tuesday night, then held a media briefing Wednesday morning. The spending plan is built around four priorities: staff compensation, technology replacement, school safety, and capital needs like vehicles and activity buses. It also anchors a multi-year financial framework extending to 2031, which Oakley said is designed to "eliminate surprises" for the district and its funders.

The largest single investment targets teacher pay. The proposal calls for a $10 million increase in teacher supplements in the first year and $9.2 million in the second, alongside $3 million annually over five years to raise wages for classified employees including bus drivers and support staff. Combined, the first-year staff pay package totals $13 million, an amount the district says is needed to bring Guilford County Schools closer to peer districts across the state.

"Nothing in this budget request is nice to have. It's what we need to continue to operate," Oakley said.

The technology line reflects a reckoning with pandemic-era purchasing. About $19.5 million would go toward replacing student devices bought during COVID, part of roughly $44 million in technology costs projected over five years. Security upgrades account for more than $4 million, including new weapons detection scanners for school buildings. The district also requested $1.3 million per year for vehicle replacements and capital needs not covered by bond funding.

Even with those requests, officials acknowledged at Tuesday's board meeting that the county appropriation may not be enough to avoid further reductions. Oakley described the pressure on special education in particular, where growing enrollment has forced the district to expand teacher caseloads rather than hire additional staff. "Our special education population is one of our two fastest-growing populations. So we're not funded for the kids that we're serving in special education," she said. "And so we had no choice but to increase the number of students served by caseload, because we don't have funding to hire more teachers."

Board Member Crissy Pratt pushed back on any perception that the request is simply a grab for more funding. "People look at the numbers and say, 'Oh, you're just asking for more money,'" Pratt said. "And I think it's very important for the public to hear and for us to hear, as we make decisions, what kinds of cuts are being made."

Those cuts are already underway. In addition to the central office hiring freeze, the district is closing three schools next year.

History adds context to the county ask. Last year, GCS requested an additional $43.9 million over the prior year and received $12.3 million. This cycle, the district is requesting an additional $24.6 million, a 9 percent increase, which would bring the total county operating appropriation to roughly $307 million. District leaders said they worked with county government officials while preparing the proposal. Federal and state funding fluctuations remain an additional uncertainty officials are factoring into their planning.

The Board of Education is scheduled to hold a public hearing on April 14 before voting on whether to send a formal request to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners. Commissioners typically finalize the county budget by mid-June.