by Jackie Nunnery
WEEMS—Following last week’s public hearing, the Lancaster school board on Monday, March 9, voted 4-0 to approve a proposed 2026-27 fiscal year budget totaling $21,976,919. The proposal now goes to supervisors for a public hearing on March 26 and a final vote on April 9.
Superintendent Jessica Davis said the budget, as proposed, includes a 3% raise for licensed staff—1.5% increase plus 1.5% step; a salary adjustment for non-exempt employees, a 1.5% increase for administration and directors, a 10.5% increase in health insurance premiums; and a longevity bonus for licensed staff, which includes teachers, nurses, counselors and social workers. The proposed budget also would set the starting teacher salary at $52,368.
The $21,976,919 proposal represents an increase of $1,007,331 or 4.8% over the current budget. Local funding, after remaining flat from the 2024-25 to 2025-26 fiscal year, shows an increase of $756,248 or 5.3%, for a total of $14,992,740.
Estimated general school fund….
