Radford School Board sends Freedom of Information Act request to City over payments – Patriot Publishing LLC

Report on Municipal Funding Deficiencies and Institutional Governance in Radford City Public Schools

Executive Summary

An investigation into the financial relationship between the City of Radford and the Radford School Board reveals a significant disruption in statutory funding, posing a direct threat to educational continuity and highlighting challenges in achieving key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The School Board has not received its required operational funding from the city for the current fiscal year, prompting a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to clarify payment schedules and the status of capital funds. The findings indicate a failure in institutional accountability (SDG 16) that directly jeopardizes the provision of Quality Education (SDG 4) and the stability of the community (SDG 11).

Analysis of the Financial Dispute

Non-Compliance with Statutory Funding Obligations

Under Virginia’s Local Composite Index (LCI) formula, the City of Radford is legally required to fund 16.5% of the school system’s operational costs. However, the city has failed to remit any payments for the current fiscal year, which began July 1. Information obtained via the FOIA request revealed an increasingly erratic payment schedule during the preceding 2024-2025 fiscal year.

• July – October 2024 Payments: Received on time.
• November 2024 Payment: Received December 11, 2024.
• December 2024 Payment: Received March 2025.
• January 2025 Payment: Received April 2025.
• February & March 2025 Payments: Received May 2025.
• April & May 2025 Payments: Received June 2025.
• Payments since June 30, 2025: None received.

Status of Capital Reserve Funds

The FOIA request also clarified that the school system’s Capital Reserve fund is not held in a segregated account. Instead, it is co-mingled with the city’s general fund. This lack of financial separation raises concerns about transparency and the security of funds designated for educational infrastructure. Notably, the school system previously transferred $500,000 from this reserve to the city to assist the municipality in meeting its LCI funding match requirement.

Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 4: Quality Education

The funding crisis presents a severe and immediate threat to the provision of inclusive and equitable quality education. The failure to provide mandated local funding directly undermines the foundational support for the educational system.

• Threat to Educators: School Board Chairwoman Gloria Boyd stated, “We are not able to make payroll looking into December.” This jeopardizes the livelihoods of teachers and staff, directly conflicting with SDG Target 4.c, which aims to increase the supply of qualified teachers.
• Operational Instability: The lack of predictable funding cripples the school division’s ability to plan and manage day-to-day operations, affecting the overall quality of the educational environment for all students.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

This situation exemplifies a breakdown in the effectiveness, accountability, and transparency of local government institutions, a core focus of SDG 16.

1. Failure of Effective Governance: The city’s non-payment of its legal financial obligations represents a failure of a public institution to perform its duties.
2. Lack of Transparency: The co-mingling of the school’s Capital Reserve with the city’s general treasury fails to meet the standards of financial transparency and accountability called for in SDG Target 16.6.
3. Breakdown in Partnerships: The School Board’s need to resort to a FOIA request and the subsequent unproductive meetings with city officials indicate a failure of the partnership and institutional cooperation necessary for effective governance (SDG 17).

SDG 11 & SDG 8: Sustainable Communities and Decent Work

The financial instability of the school system has broader implications for the community’s sustainability and economic health.

• Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11): A properly funded and functioning public school system is a cornerstone of a sustainable and resilient community. The current crisis weakens this essential public service.
• Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8): The potential inability to meet payroll directly threatens the principle of decent work for all school employees, creating economic uncertainty for a significant portion of the local workforce.

Current Status and Outlook

Immediate Financial Position

The Radford school system has remained operational thus far due to two primary factors: a high level of state funding resulting from its low LCI, and the skilled financial management of its administration. However, officials stress that this is not a sustainable solution and cannot compensate indefinitely for the lack of municipal funding.

Projected Impact

Despite ongoing meetings, no resolution or payment guarantee has been secured from city officials. The most critical short-term risk is the school system’s projected inability to meet its payroll obligations in December, an event that would severely disrupt educational services and violate the principles of Decent Work (SDG 8) and Quality Education (SDG 4).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  The core issue of the article is a funding dispute that directly threatens the operational capacity of the Radford school system. A lack of funding for day-to-day operations, including teacher salaries, jeopardizes the provision of quality education for students.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article details a breakdown in governance and financial accountability between two public institutions: the City of Radford and the Radford School Board. The city’s failure to make legally required payments and the school board’s need to file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request highlight issues with institutional effectiveness, transparency, and accountability.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The school board’s statement that they are “not able to make payroll looking into December” directly connects to this goal. The inability to pay teachers and staff undermines the principle of decent work, where individuals receive fair and timely compensation for their labor.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers…
   • The article indicates a direct threat to retaining qualified teachers. The school board chairwoman states, “We are not able to make payroll looking into December.” Failure to pay teachers would lead to their departure, directly decreasing the supply of qualified educators in the Radford school system.
2. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
   • The article provides clear evidence of institutional failure. The City of Radford has not fulfilled its financial obligations to the school system, with payments described as “increasingly erratic” before stopping altogether. The school board’s use of a FOIA request to obtain information about payments and the status of its Capital Reserve fund demonstrates a lack of transparency from the city’s side.
3. Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all…
   • The impending inability to make payroll is a direct violation of the principles of decent work. The teachers and staff of the Radford school system face the prospect of not being paid for their work, which is a fundamental aspect of this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Timeliness of inter-governmental fiscal transfers.
   • The article explicitly details the failure to meet this indicator. It provides a specific timeline of late and missed payments: “The November payment was on Dec. 11 (2024). The December payment was received in March… no payments have been received since then [June 30].” This serves as a direct measure of the city’s institutional ineffectiveness (related to Target 16.6).
2. Proportion of the budget allocated to essential services (education).
   • The article discusses the Local Composite Index (LCI), which mandates that the City of Radford must pay for “16.5 percent of the Radford School System’s operational costs.” The city’s failure to provide this legally required portion of the budget is a clear, quantifiable indicator of the problem.
3. Timely payment of wages for employees.
   • The statement, “We are not able to make payroll looking into December,” serves as a critical, forward-looking indicator. Whether or not the school system can meet its payroll is a direct measure of its ability to provide decent work (Target 8.5) and retain its teachers (Target 4.c).

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: pcpatriot.com