by AnnGardner Eubank
HEATHSVILLE—After months of budget-related turmoil in Northumberland County, a proposed $22,416,875 school budget for 2025-26 was presented to the school board April 14.
According to assistant superintendent Karen Leslie, the proposed budget represents a 4.12% increase from the current $21,529,064 budget. The increase is driven primarily by instructional costs such as salaries, supplemental salaries, payroll costs, health insurance and retirement.
According to Leslie, non-administrative employees could expect a 3.75% pay increase with a 1.25% step increase, or roughly a 5% salary increase per employee if the budget is adopted. Increases in health care costs have gone up by about 6%, she said.
Additionally, administrative employees would receive a 1.25% step increase.
Instruction costs, including salaries and payroll, instructional materials and offsite instructional programs, total $16,194,638 in the proposal….
