ROANOKE, Va. – Parents are voicing serious concerns as Roanoke City Public Schools grapples with a significant budget deficit, prompting discussions of widespread cuts that could affect everything from transportation to staff.
Roanoke City Public Schools is facing a $16.5 million deficit, and there could be potential cuts.
The potential cuts, first discussed during a school board workshop two weeks ago, include eliminating after-school activity bus transportation, discontinuing use of the Community Empowerment Center, and cutting approximately 150 staffing positions. School officials emphasize these reductions are not yet final.
“It’s going to create a larger community impact for the city as a whole. Kids aren’t showing up to school, they’re not going to graduate,” said Parent Rebekah Murphy, parent of an elementary school student. She warns the effects could ripple throughout the community.
The deficit comes after recent changes to the city’s school funding formula, which reduced the schools’ share of tax revenue from 40% to 34%.
However, city officials maintain that school funding isn’t being reduced.
A City Spokesperson sent 10 News an email statement saying:“School funding is not being reduced. The new funding formula maintains a baseline budget at its current level ($106,900,961). What changed is the percentage of additional tax revenue schools receive as the City brings in more revenue. As revenue increases schools will continue to receive additional benefit, but RCPS’s share changed from 40% to 34%. The City of Roanoke both believes and invests in the transformative power of education. “
Parents report that some services have already been affected. “At the middle school level, I know that some of the services that they’ve already had to remove have been extra tutoring and Saturday school for children who need it,” said Emily Casey, whose child attends Woodrow Wilson Middle School. “That is something that helps those kids who need that extra support.”
The potential elimination of activity buses is particularly concerning for working parents and students who rely on this transportation for after-school activities.
“It’s the only reason they show up because they get to do sports,” said Murphy.
Superintendent Dr. Verletta White indicated the district is exploring creative solutions to address the shortfall, including:
- Public-private partnerships
- Endowments
- Grants
Parents are urging city officials to consider the long-term implications of these budget decisions.
“Think big picture, think hard about what this is going to do to our, not only to our students but to our city as a whole, a year, 5 years, 10 years, 20 years down the road,” said Casey.
“You can’t grow a city if the schools, one, doesn’t have the room to support more families, but also if you’re not investing in the schools, people are going to want to come here,” said Murphy.
The Roanoke City School Board will meet tonight at 6:30 to discuss these matters further. For those interested in getting involved, the Roanoke City Council of PTAs will hold a meeting on Thursday, January 18, at the Community Empowerment Center.