Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

Superintendent Don Phipps presented the board with a balanced budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 at the same level as the current year budget, as well as options if board members choose to request additional funds from the county.

The district has made great strides towards repaying its debt. However, there are concerns on the horizon. The district expects to lose $11.5 million in state funding due to declines in enrollment, as well as $3.5 million due to less available federal carryover dollars. There’s $4 million in debt left to be repaid.

That loss of funding means the district will reduce positions. However, Phipps expects to be able to move employees into currently empty positions that have been frozen this fiscal year. As of now, district leadership does not anticipate any need to reduce currently filled positions. 

Accounting for several uncertain factors, such as the lack of a state budget and a pattern of legislators giving teacher raises in election years, the superintendent presented the board members with five options for requests to the commissioners. These options covered several levels of investment, ranging from a flat funding request with no increases to a $38.7 million increase that would cover numerous items proposed by the Forsyth County Association of Educators. 

Even assuming that there is no increase from the county, Phipps’ base budget request adds assistant principals and EC TAs in response to community feedback. 

Breakdowns of items featured in each funding request option can be found here. 

After two days of deliberation amongst themselves and a forum with FCAE, the board decided to prioritize a budget that adds: 

The Board also wanted to prioritize funding for an organizational review of Central Office; restore instructional supply dollars; either provide a $2.5 million student technology refresh or $100,000 for repairs; and extended terms of employment for assistant principals, athletic directors, high school and middle school counselors, speech pathologists, and school psychologists. 

Paying for these items, as well as several other board priorities, would require a budget increase of approximately $30 million.  

Phipps asked for patience as the district adjusts to changes throughout the budgeting process. Choices made by the commissioners and the General Assembly will have major ramifications for what WS/FCS can afford in the next fiscal year. District leaders are doing their best to prepare for anything. 

“I’ve got to plan for the worst-case scenario, and then we’ll hopefully have some positives,” Phipps said. 

The superintendent will present his budget recommendation for formal approval at the board’s next meeting on Tuesday, April 14. Forvis Mazars will also present their annual independent financial audit of the district during that meeting. The board will approve a budget for next fiscal year by the end of June.