By Charlotte Matherly, contributor
Correction: A previous version of this story misattributed comments made at the meeting to former Harrisonburg Mayor Joe Fitzgerald. The comments were made by Eric Fitzgerald, a retired employee of the RCPS system. The previous version also incorrectly reported a statement by Harrisonburg Superintendent Michael Richards regarding the city’s share of funding versus its share of students at MTC.
Rockingham County School Board member Matt Cross on Monday alluded to a potential parting of ways between the city and county schools when it comes to overseeing the Massanutten Technical Center and suggested the county could look elsewhere for a partner.
“MTC’s going to continue to be a diamond in Rockingham County Public Schools, with or without the partnership of Harrisonburg City Public Schools,” Cross said.
If that were to happen, Cross floated the idea of partnering with other counties, or working with area private schools to make up for the loss of enrollment and funding by severing ties with the city schools.
After nearly 60 years of joint control between Harrisonburg and Rockingham County over the Massanutten Technical Center, proposed governance changes the county board is putting forward could result in a split.
At the career and technical education center’s executive board meeting last week, RCPS advocated for more control over its operations, for which the county bears the majority of costs. The county and city school systems fund the technical and career school with a nearly 80-20 split, but both sides have an equal vote on the executive board that oversees the school. Cross was absent at last week’s Massanutten Technical Center executive board meeting.
Eric Fitzgerald, a retired employee at the Rockingham County School System, told the school during the public comment portion of the meeting that he hoped they’d keep the governance structure and partnership the way it is.
“Businesses want access to students – not just our students in Rockingham, but they want access to all students,” Fitzgerald said. “The regional concept’s a good one.”
Superintendent Larry Shifflett said in a statement last week that he wants control over Massanutten Technical Center to reflect the “financial and enrollment realities.”
“RCPS is exploring potential options for governance that would better align with the financial commitment and student representation of each division,” Shifflett said. “This is not about limiting collaboration, but rather ensuring fairness, transparency, and responsible stewardship of resources to best serve all students.”
In response, Harrisonburg Superintendent Michael Richards said in a statement that the city school division’s share of the budget is greater than its share of students. The two boards cited different numbers of how much each of them pay to operate the MTC.
Richards said he wants the partnership to continue but would not accept diminished control for the city over the MTC.
“The one-sided-governance concept is flawed and unacceptable to HCPS due to legal and logistical reasons,” Richards said.
Budget prioritizes special education, English teachers, school resource officers
The Rockingham County school district’s operating costs will increase by $12.6 million – totaling $189.2 million – next year if the board approves Shifflett’s proposed budget. They’re scheduled to vote on it at a special meeting on Tuesday afternoon.
Administrators projected a multimillion dollar increase in state funding next year, bringing the state’s share to $89.8 million. That’s based on the Virginia General Assembly’s draft of the next state budget, which Shifflett said was “a little more favorable.” The state’s spending plan isn’t yet final, however, as state lawmakers must still come to an agreement with Gov. Glenn Youngkin on a vision for the two-year budget.
The school district’s budget includes 3% salary raises, two more school resource officers (the county budgeted for four last year, but was only able to hire two), two medical science teachers to run new courses, 13 English language teachers, nine special education teachers and assistants and other personnel.
Enrollment of English language learners has skyrocketed 123% in the past four years, with nearly 2,000 students as of fall 2024, Shifflett said. Special education enrollment is also on the rise, up 20% in the past four years with a noticeable uptick in the number of students with autism.
The budget also shifts away from a federal program with free meals for every student toward a free-and-reduced meal program, which provides food to students based on their family’s financial need.
Shifflett said the change will save about $600,000 in next year’s budget.
Nine county schools already operate with free-and-reduced meals, and 14 schools will need to make the switch. Shifflett said financial support isn’t going away. If a family cannot afford to pay for their child’s meals, they will pay less or nothing for those meals — and students won’t be left hungry.
“Families who have a financial need, their students will still qualify for free lunch,” Shifflett said. “We continue to feed students each and every day. We have no intentions of moving away from that.”
Assistant superintendent retiring
Doug Alderfer, the assistant superintendent of leadership and academic support, is retiring on June 30 after 32 years working for the school district, Shifflett said.
“Doug has been a tremendous, tremendous asset to Rockingham County Public Schools, and he is going to be greatly missed in his role,” Shifflett said.
Shifflett is now taking the opportunity to restructure his leadership team.
Donna Abernathy, the assistant superintendent of innovation and learning, will replace Alderfer in his role, but with a twist. She’ll focus primarily on instructional support for middle schools and high schools.
Shifflett said he’s also looking to create a new role, an executive director of elementary education, to focus on instructional support for elementary schools and younger kids.
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