Joint Work Session: Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and School Board

On December 3, 2025, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and School Board held a joint work session to review the county's financial outlook, the adopted Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), and the School Board's capital priorities. The session focused on the growing demand for school capacity, particularly a surprising request for a new comprehensive high school, and the financial challenges of meeting those needs. No votes or formal actions were taken.

County Financial Overview

• Andy Bowman (Assistant Chief Financial Officer) presented the county's five-year financial plan and debt service history. Over the past decade, combined county and school debt service has risen from roughly $18 million to nearly $50 million, driven by major projects including the General District Court, courthouse renovation, Biscuit Run Park, and three new schools (Mountain View Upper Elementary, ACE Academy, and renovations).
• The county's debt service remains well within its policy cap (9% of operating revenues), with about $72 million of additional borrowing capacity if the cap were fully used.
• The county's triple-A bond rating (one of only 54 counties nationwide) provides low interest rates and future flexibility.
• The five-year plan shows a gap of approximately 1% of expenditures in FY27, growing to 3% by FY28, but this is a much healthier outlook than previous years due to a tax rate increase and stronger economic growth. The gap assumes continued formula-based transfers to schools.
• The county's tax base has shifted from 61% residential in 2015 to 68% in 2025, placing greater burden on homeowners. Commercial/industrial development (e.g., AstraZeneca, Apton Scientific) is a key strategy to rebalance.

School Capital Needs Presentation

• Dr. Boyd (School Board Chair) and Dr. Haas (Superintendent) presented the School Board's CIP request, emphasizing that investment in schools improves test scores, property values, and economic development.
• The School Board's top five priorities are: (1) a new comprehensive high school (estimated $200M+), (2) renovation of aging elementary schools (Agnor-Hurt, Greer, Woodbrook, Broadus Wood, Murray, Stony Point), (3) modernization of Albemarle and Western Albemarle High Schools, (4) a new preschool center (20 classrooms, serving 200–300 students), and (5) ongoing maintenance (HVAC, buses, roofing, etc.) costing about $25 million per year.
• The request for a new high school was a surprise to many supervisors, as the School Board had previously championed a “center model” (specialized academies) to relieve overcrowding. The shift was driven by community feedback, a Long-Range Planning Advisory Committee (LRPAC) study, and the view that the center model alone cannot meet projected growth.
• Enrollment data: ACPS has lost about 700 students since 2018 (13,692 in 2018 vs 13,644 in 2025) but expects steady growth of 6–18% over the next decade, depending on the model. County population growth has averaged 2.8% per year recently, with older demographics and rising home-schooling trends.
• The school board acknowledged the need for more robust, shared data, particularly from Weldon Cooper Center, to inform long-term planning.

Board Discussion – Center Model vs. New High School & Data Concerns

• Supervisor Mike expressed strong frustration: “I don’t see a way to do it… I’ve carried water for the center model, and now we’re being asked to do something I literally can’t do.” He noted the financial gap remains even with implementing all proposed funding options.
• Supervisor Diantha called the request a “really significant failure in long-range planning” and noted that the shift from the center model contradicts earlier Board discussions. She stated that even if all available financial levers are pulled, the gap is insurmountable.
• Supervisor Ann Mallek questioned the data sources and noted that some schools are under capacity while others are overcrowded. She called for independent, third-party analysis from Weldon Cooper to determine actual future needs, not just to support a pre‑decided outcome.
• Supervisor Jim echoed calls for better data, including nuanced analysis of demographic trends (affordable housing impacts, unit types, etc.). He also questioned why the preschool center was not mentioned in earlier plans and raised concerns about the proposed site for a new high school (Berkmar property) where a recycling center had been planned.
• School Board members responded that the new high school is not “off the table” but agreed that more collaborative data work is needed. They acknowledged the timeline should be rethought and that the CIP request may need modification.

Funding Strategies & Next Steps

• Andy Bowman presented five potential funding options for a major new high school (or other large project): (1) a 1% sales tax referendum (~$26M/year, but would require years of saving to make a dent), (2) reprioritizing future revenue growth (e.g., shifting 10% of school operating funds to capital would yield ~$1.9M/year, providing $23M in bonds over time), (3) investing one-time surpluses (already done, ~$34M over five years), (4) reallocating existing CIP projects (pausing or slowing other renovations), and (5) changing the tax base composition through economic development (longer-term).
• All options require time, multi-year planning, and partnership between the two boards. Bowman emphasized that no single option can close the gap; a combination is needed.

Key Outcomes

• No votes or formal actions were taken.
• Both boards agreed to jointly commission a data analysis from the Weldon Cooper Center (or similar) to project school-age population growth with more nuance (including housing types, affordable units, demographic shifts, and the impact of major developments like Rivanna Futures).
• The School Board will re-evaluate its CIP priorities and timeline, potentially adjusting the new high school from a top 5-year priority to a longer-term need (e.g., 5–10 years out).
• Both boards committed to holding joint educational sessions on financial tools, capital planning, and economic development data to build shared understanding.
• The County Executive and Superintendent will work together to define the scope of the data study and report back during the upcoming budget process (February–March 2026).
• The future of the Berkmar property as a school site remains unresolved; the School Board will need to decide whether to pursue it, as funds are already being spent on planning for a recycling center there.
• The one-cent sales tax referendum will continue to be a legislative priority for both boards.