ROANOKE, Va. – Grandin Court PTA is hosting an emergency PTA meeting this Thursday to discuss Roanoke City Public School’s budget, potential cuts, and what it could mean for families and staff.
The meeting follows the Roanoke City Council’s vote to change its school funding formula, reducing the school division’s share of local tax revenue from 40% to 34%. That shift has left Roanoke City Public Schools facing a $16.5 million budget deficit and considering potential program and staff cuts.
For parents like Angela Bird, the stakes are personal. Bird’s two sons attend Grandin Court Elementary. When her family moved seven years ago, they deliberately chose Roanoke because of its public schools.
“We could see where our kids could really make gains in public school. We think supporting public schools is a necessary part of our community,” said Bird.
Now, she’s worried.
“My kids will be here, but will they stick around if the schools go down and they want to raise a family?” she said. “I don’t see them sticking around for that. I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t.”
School leaders are working under a tight deadline to finalize the 2026–2027 budget by March 10. At a workshop held at the end of February, the Roanoke City School Board discussed a range of potential cuts to close the $16.5 million gap. Among the options on the table:
- Eliminating more than 150 positions
- Cutting activity bus transportation for after-school programs
- Reducing funding for athletic supplies
Parents like Bird are especially concerned about what those decisions could mean inside the classroom.
“I think my kids are very lucky with the environment in which we are able to provide for them, where if class sizes get bigger in a lot of other areas of Roanoke, my biggest worry is like the whole city as a whole,” she said. “Like that’s going to impact everybody moving on, not just my kids.”
She also worries about the long-term impact on the district’s workforce.
“Our teachers are going to go elsewhere, especially really good teachers that know their capacity and know their understanding for taking pay cuts and having bigger class sizes,” said Bird.
Bird says she is also frustrated by what she describes as a lack of transparency from the City Council throughout the funding change and budget process.
“I know that Mayor Cobb cares, and I know the City Council cares, but I think that it’s hard to see which ways they care. It’s kind of putting your cuts where your mouth is,” said Bird.
Thursday’s emergency PTA meeting aims to give parents, caregivers, and staff a chance to learn more about the proposed cuts, ask questions, and discuss how to advocate for school funding going forward as the March 10 budget deadline approaches. The meeting takes place at Grandin Court Elementary in its library at 5 pm.
10 News also reached out to the Roanoke City School Board, and it sent a statement saying:“The gap between what we expected to receive in revenue and what we must now plan around is significant, and it has placed our staff and our School Board in the position of making hard choices. When City Council amended the school funding policy for the third time in two years this past January, it fundamentally changed the revenue picture we had historically been working from — after our division already received flat funding in 2025. We have been working to absorb this impact in a way that continues to protect our classrooms and keeps our students at the center of every decision.
The School Board will approve our categorical budget on March 10 and submit it to the city, but this process is far from over. As the city and state finalize their budgets, we will continue to pursue every available solution to minimize impacts to students and staff and ensure our students continue to receive the high-quality education they deserve.”