JCS Families and Community,
As budget planning for the 2026-2027 school year continues, I want to share updates on several areas where our proposals have evolved and those that have remained the same. We have heard our community speak passionately in recent weeks about the shared priorities of Jefferson County Schools and access to extracurricular programs. Our goal is always to work together with our communities and families to support our students and staff. Based on your feedback, we are committed to ensuring our students continue to have unparalleled access to extracurriculars.
Unchanging Commitments
Every JCS employee will still receive a pay increase of at least 3% in the coming year, supported by state legislation and additional local funds for service personnel.
We are also moving forward with the proposal to add four Deans of Special Education at schools with higher levels of special education service needs. These are not additional positions, but the repurposing of existing positions to better support the identified schools. The positions will help carry out the administrative responsibility of ensuring that student IEPs are met and that information is properly tracked, supporting both students and staff.
Our instructional staff will be integrating into a single team and aligning areas of responsibility by content area rather than grade level. This will allow experts in math, English language arts, science, and social studies to more closely support our teachers in meeting students' instructional needs.
Updates to Proposed Changes
We know our community loves to see students performing and competing across the county, state, and beyond. We share that pride. Rising costs, for schools and families alike, require us to look carefully at how we structure those opportunities. In every case, our goal is to preserve them. These decisions are made in careful consultation with principals, teachers, and program leaders, and they are not made in isolation.
Extended Contract Changes
Contracts for existing Middle and High School Band Directors, Choral Directors, and Agriculture teachers will stay as they currently are.
High School Assistant Band Directors will receive stipends in addition to their teaching contracts to account for work outside the school day.
Extended contracts are still being evaluated across a few secondary programs, including Career and Technical Education teachers, counselors, and secretarial staff at the elementary and secondary level. Reductions in contract days allow schools greater flexibility in how they use those resources while keeping student opportunities at the center of every decision. We are working through the specific structure of those arrangements with principals and school staff.
Middle School Athletics
Middle school athletic programs will continue. The adjustments we are proposing are about how students participate, not whether they do. We are proposing a 60-mile travel radius for middle school competition, keeping students closer to home, reducing time away from class, and ensuring our middle schoolers are back at a reasonable hour so they get the rest they need. Because many surrounding counties in both West Virginia and Virginia do not offer the same middle school sports programs we do, the number of available opponents within that distance is limited, which is why we are also proposing fewer games and contests per season. We want students at events across the region; we also want them rested and in class.
Ongoing Review
A number of budget areas are still being evaluated in close collaboration with building principals and district leadership. We will share updates as proposals are finalized. Thank you for your continued trust in Jefferson County Schools. We welcome your questions at any time; please reach out to your building principal or our central office.
Sincerely,
Dr. Chuck Bishop
Superintendent, Jefferson County Schools
