Waynesboro school funding: Why we must close the gap and skip the cap

In our schools, everything is measured by a standard. Our educators teach to one; our students are tested by one. But today, I want to talk about the standard of expertise—and the dangerous gap in Waynesboro school funding being created by ignoring professional recommendations.

We hire professionals to lead this city. In the latest budget cycle, our City Manager and staff provided a clear professional baseline: they stated that to stabilize our workforce and fund our future, a tax rate of $0.87 is necessary.

This recommendation is a direct response to what your own staff calls a $2.1 million revenue gap. And yet, we are still hearing proposals to lock that gap in place with an artificial 3% funding cap for our schools.

My message to the Council is simple: Close the gap. Skip the cap.

"A cap is a cut. You cannot 'cap' your way out of a demographic crisis. We need a budget that matches the actual needs of our learners."

The reality of "less with less" in Waynesboro school funding

I recently met with local PTO members and concerned families. They didn't talk about "compromise." They spoke of fear and of being forgotten. They told me the old mantra of "doing more with less" has reached its expiration date.

As one family member put it:

"There comes a time when you aren’t doing more with less—you are forced to do less with less."

Our city’s own engagement reports mention "education" dozens of times. It is explicit: families want stronger schools to attract and retain the residents that contribute to our city’s vitality. "Good planning" doesn't involve ignoring the staff's recommendation of $0.87 or the hundreds of neighbors who told you schools are a primary pillar of our community.

A restrictive experience

We must listen to the experts. In Waynesboro, we are lucky to have world-renowned researchers among our own school families. They teach us that while equality is giving everyone the same access, schools don't work that way. Each learner comes with a different past, different challenges, and different strengths.

I see this in my own home. One of my sons has an IEP; for him, the "typical" school model doesn't always fit.

When we impose a 3% cap on a district where 62% of students face economic disadvantage and 12% require special education, we aren't providing a school that fits everyone. We are providing a restrictive educational experience—one that ensures our students can never keep pace with their neighbors.

"Our students deserve a bridge that is wide enough for every child. We cannot leave their success to chance by underfunding the staff's own recommendations."

The five-alarm emergency for Waynesboro school funding

I grew up in a first-responder family. My father was a career firefighter, and he taught me that you don't meet an emergency by choosing to walk away from necessary revenue.

In Waynesboro, our demographics are the emergency. When 6 out of 10 students face economic disadvantage, you are in a five-alarm struggle for the future of this city.

I hear the sirens blaring all around us. I hear them all:

1. The first alarm: The city experts recommending the $0.87 rate to close the revenue gap.

2. The second alarm: The education experts in our community.

3. The third alarm: The "Waynesboro Together" study commissioned by the city.

4. The fourth alarm: The PTO members and families in our neighborhoods.

5. The fifth alarm: The community standing before the Council today.

I hear them all. Does the Council?

For years, our educators were the silent partners in Waynesboro’s growth. Now that those investments are paying off, it is time for this Council to live up to the name of its own plan: Waynesboro Together.

Join the movement

Don't let the sirens go unheard. I am running for School Board to ensure every family in Ward D has a voice and every student has a roadmap to success.

• Stay informed: Sign up for my mailing list to get updates on the budget and school board insights.

• Support the mission: To reach every door in Ward D, we need your help. Please Donate to the campaign today.

Authorized by Seipel for Waynesboro.