VALDOSTA — The Valdosta Board of Education approved its Fiscal Year 2026 general budget and looked at curriculum enhancements during its meeting on Tuesday, with discussion centered on transparency.

The FY26 budget, balanced at $110 million, includes updated salary schedules and supplements as required by state law. Board members discussed the inclusion of those salary adjustments, particularly a 2% increase for employees whose pay had not yet caught up to recommendations from a prior salary study.

Although the budget and schedules were ultimately approved, District Three board member Warren Lee expressed concerns about the timing of last-minute additions.

“I’d like to see all of the departments have their budgets in by a deadline date—and that we stick to that date,” said Lee. “The more we expand that date, the bigger the budget gets.”

One such addition was a new middle school debate program proposed by the Teaching and Learning Committee. The board approved a $3,000 total supplement—$1,500 each—for coaches at J.L. Newbern and Valdosta Middle schools to support the initiative.

Following the budget vote, the board heard from the director of testing and evaluation, Dr. Joyce Dean, about curriculum investments for the 2025–2026 school year. A total of $1.39 million in recommended instructional resources and professional development was presented to support strategic district goals. These include academic achievement, technology integration, personalized learning, and career readiness.

Superintendent Dr. Craig Lockhart emphasized that the proposed items were carefully selected and aligned with district priorities, with some older programs replaced after consultation with staff.

A portion of the discussion focused on $60,000 allocated for noise-canceling headphones to be used during Georgia Milestones (GMAS) testing. Board members’ discussions centered on sanitation procedures and distribution, expressing concern about classroom management and hygiene.

Dean explained that the need came from a new GMAS requirement: Students will now listen to audio during part of the testing. The headphones, which are over-ear and wipeable, are intended to give equal access to quality audio tools during testing.