The Winchester School Board adopted a budget for fiscal year 2025 on Monday evening, with division Superintendent Jason Van Heukelum slated to present the spending plan to City Council on Tuesday.

Last year, the city fully funded Winchester Public Schools’ request for $35.4 million in local funds. An additional $1.5 million is being sought in FY25, bringing the school division’s total request from the city to $36.9 million.

The operating budget approved by the board totals $74.19 million, up about $4 million from FY24.

The largest budget priority is a 3% salary increase for all staff ($1.6 million) and an additional 2% salary increase for all teachers ($780,000).

The division also hopes to start all of its pay scales at $15 per hour ($370,000), move school nurses to the teacher pay scale ($20,000), continue offering a monthly attendance bonus for bus drivers ($80,000) and continue offering teachers a sign-on bonus ($100,000).

Cybersecurity software ($40,000) and funding for the division’s 3-year-old prekindergarten classroom ($80,000) are in the budget as well.

Beyond these initiatives, the operating fund includes $1.16 million in required costs, such as covering an increase in health insurance and meeting the state’s minimum wage requirement.

And though division officials seek an increase in operating dollars, WPS’s overall FY25 budget totals $96.2 million — a decrease from previous years.

“We’re offloading these federal funds that have been influencing our budget for the last three to five years, OK?” Van Heukelum explained. “That includes, primarily, the ESSER funds, the CARES Act COVID money that we received to the tune of almost $13 million over the last three to four years. That money is expiring on Sept. 30.”

Two major grants are also expiring, METRICS and TSL REACH.

Capital requests, which go through a separate funding process from the annual budget, include two $800,000 items: new seating and carpet in the Patsy Cline Theatre at Handley High School and concept design development for a renovation at Garland R. Quarles Elementary School.

Coming off a fully funded year, Van Heukelum said he’s optimistic about what City Council will decide.

“Once they get all the data together, I’m hopeful they’ll have a healthy conversation and support public education here in Winchester,” he said.