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Fairfax County Public Schools could face larger classes, fewer student services and renewed salary negotiations if county leaders do not close a $150 million funding gap, Superintendent Michelle C. Reid told student journalists on April 9.

Students from 24 of FCPS’ 27 high schools attended the budget roundtable at the Gatehouse Administration Center. Each questioned Reid about how the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget could affect individual schools and the division as a whole.

Chantilly High School student Advik Sood asked what would happen if FCPS did not receive the additional funding it requested.

“The ramifications are we’re not going to pay for the things that we’ve budgeted to have,” Reid said, adding that the school system hoped Fairfax County would provide the full requested transfer.

Reid said FCPS has reached a point where further reductions could directly affect students’ classroom experiences.

Fairfax High School student Kelly Thanos raised concerns about the possible loss of the middle school after-school program. Reid said FCPS had not proposed eliminating the program, which is funded by Fairfax County rather than the school division.

“That wasn’t a cut we would have chosen to make, and we hope they reinstate that,” Reid said. “It’s very important.”

Employee compensation was another major concern. Marshall High School student Rebecca Paz asked about teacher salaries, with more than 85% of the proposed budget devoted to instruction.

The budget includes a 7% compensation adjustment for FCPS employees under the division’s first collective bargaining agreement. Reid cautioned that the increase is not guaranteed if the county provides less money than requested.

“If we’re not fully funded, that will likely require us to go back to the bargaining table to talk about how we’re going to respond to that,” she said.

Students also questioned Reid about school security, extracurricular activities and support for alternative education.

Mauricio Villalva-Asto, a Mountain View High School student, asked how the budget would sustain Alternative Learning Centers that offer nontraditional educational settings.

Without the full county transfer, Reid said, FCPS could have to increase class sizes and reduce some services while trying to keep its decisions centered on students.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to mark up its fiscal year 2026 budget on May 6, a step that will largely determine the amount transferred to FCPS. Residents can respond to the county’s budget priorities survey or register to speak at a public hearing before April 24.

Reid told students she remained hopeful that supervisors would provide the full amount, pointing to the school system’s importance to Fairfax County and its appeal to families moving into the area.