Guilford County schools seek budget boost for staff, safety, buses

Gov. Josh Stein signed Senate Bill 257 on July 7, and Guilford County Schools went back to county commissioners for an extra $5.3 million after the county had already closed its budget fight on June 25. The district needed the money to match state-authorized salary increases for locally funded employees, on top of a five-year plan built with county officials over the past year.

Guilford County Schools’ April request assumed a 3% average salary increase for both classified and certified employees. The state budget changed that calculation, with an average 8% raise for teachers and a 3% raise for non-licensed employees. Superintendent Whitney Oakley said the five-year model was designed to help the county and district work from the same assumptions.

Guilford County Schools asked for $10 million in year one for a teacher pay supplement adjustment and $9.2 million in year two. It also sought $3 million a year for five years, or $15 million total, for classified staff pay. Board chair Deena Hayes said county support was needed so the district could compensate employees fairly without restricting services to families.

Guilford County Schools requested $19.53 million in 2026-27 to replace outdated iPads and laptops bought with pandemic-era ESSER funds, with technology replacement needs expected to reach about $44 million over five years. The plan also set aside $3.68 million for school safety tools including cameras, weapons detection, radio amplification, and visitor-management and student-ID systems. Another $1.3 million a year over five years would cover vehicle, activity bus and other non-bond capital needs.

In March, the district said its operating request from Guilford County would be $313.6 million, about $24.5 million more than the prior year and roughly a 9% increase, as part of a $961 million total budget that also included about $498 million from the state and $57 million in federal grants. If commissioners do not cover the new ask, the district would have to absorb the higher salary costs while also trying to keep devices current, buses running and safety systems in place across one of the county’s biggest public systems.