HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — The Harrisonburg City School Board passed the Fiscal Year 2027 budget during tonight’s work session. 

School Superintendent Dr. Michael Richards said the first budget they brought was a placeholder budget with just a 3% raise knowing they would get more money to increase the salary for instructional assistants. 

However, the board postponed voting to make sure the instructional assistants receive the raise. 

The new concept involves the 12% raise and puts cuts in place to make up the difference. 

“And then later when we get more state money, we fill in those cuts,” said Dr. Richards. “We put those cuts back in or we take those cuts out I should say.”

The budget was approved with the understanding that it will be revisited once final numbers from Richmond and move to approve the proposed salary scales for 2026-2027.