Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about the Operating Budget? Send your questions to us online. FAQ postings will help answer the questions that you have during the School Board's budget development. (Names will not be published.)
What are the school division's sources of revenue?
School divisions in Virginia receive state, local and federal funding. In York County, the majority of the annual budget comes from state revenue including state sales tax. The second largest funding source is York County. Over the past few years, the amount of money the School Division has received from the state is declining, putting more of the burden for funding education on our local taxpayers. Federal funding, which comprises the smallest portion of the division's funding courses, is derived primarily from Impact Aid.
How does the state determine funding levels for individual school divisions?
State revenue flows to the school division in a myriad of ways. The most predominant way is based on student average daily membership as applied to the funding provided by the state based on the Standards of Quality. Other methods used by the state to fund local education programs are the allocation of state sales tax, grants, and participation in regional educational programs.
The minimum level of state funding and local funding required is determined using the local composite index formula. The higher the LCI, the greater ability of the local government to pay for public education; this translates into the school division receiving less state revenue. York County has a higher LCI than most comparable school divisions in our region.
What about funds from the Virginia Lottery?
It's a common misnomer that the Virginia Lottery funds public education in Virginia. While it is true that the bulk of the profits from the Lottery are allocated for education funding, those profits do not come close to the amount required to support public education in the state. In addition, whatever lottery profits are directed to education, an equal amount of "general fund" tax dollars are subtracted from education; increased lottery sales does not equate to increased education funding.
