RICHMOND, Va. β RPS Superintendent Jason Kamras shared his proposed budget cuts Thursday ahead of what he says will be a "difficult budget year," including 50 layoffs and ending summer school for K-8 students.
In a letter to employees, Kamras said RPS is only expecting "modest" increases in revenue from Richmond and Virginia amid rising operational costs such as salaries, health insurance, and transportation.
"On the City side, we get most of our funding from property taxes. With the planned assessment freeze for next year, the pie just wonβt increase very much," Kamras wrote. "On the Commonwealth side, the General Assembly is grappling with how to fund Medicaid now that costs were shifted to the states given actions at the federal level."
Kamras said his most notable recommendations are:
- Lay off 50 central office staff members
- Pause raises
- Share the increase in health insurance costs, not the total cost, 50/50 with employees
- Close the Richmond Virtual Academy
- Cut summer school for K-8 students
- Reduce mental health and wraparound support contracts by 30%
- Furlough all senior staff, directors and above, for two days
- Furlough himself for five days
Kamras said staff whose roles would be directly impacted by the budget proposal are already aware, and RPS will offer employees "career services and support throughout this transition."
"I know that these recommendations will be difficult for the RPS family. Please know that I do not make them lightly," Kamras wrote. "I have agonized over them for several weeks, trying my very best to keep us on solid financial footing while doing everything I can to protect our schools."
He continued, "Over the coming weeks, I look forward to engaging with the School Board, our union partners, and the broader RPS community about these proposals. Together, I know we will find ways to improve upon them in time for the Board to make its final decisions before sending our budget on to the Mayor."
You can view Kamras' Budget Proposal presentation, which will be given at the school board's Jan. 22 meeting, here. To view the proposed FY27 budget, click here.
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