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Thousands of Fairfax County middle school students could lose after-school and summer programming under a proposed fiscal year 2026 budget designed to close a projected $292.7 million funding gap.

County Executive Bryan Hill’s proposal would cut nearly $60 million in spending and eliminate 208 staff positions across county agencies. Among the reductions is $4.13 million for two programs that provide academic support, recreation and supervised activities for young teenagers.

Fairfax County Public Schools said both programs are “very likely” to end if the Board of Supervisors approves the cuts.

After-school program faces $3.93 million cut

The proposal would eliminate $3.93 million for the Middle School After-School program, which is funded by the county’s Department of Neighborhood and Community Services and operated by FCPS.

During the 2023-2024 school year, the program served more than 23,800 students across all 27 county middle schools. It operates from 2:25 to 5 p.m. five days a week at most locations, though schedules vary.

Activities include homework assistance, STEM clubs, Model United Nations, sports, fine and performing arts, and leadership development. Some schools also offer specialized tutoring and preparation for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

Late buses operate four days a week at most schools, allowing students to participate even when their families cannot provide transportation.

FCPS contributes $1.9 million for supplies, snacks and hourly employees, plus approximately $500,000 for late-bus transportation and staffing. County funding pays salaries and benefits for the 26 specialists who oversee the program, along with some hourly personnel and supplies.

An FCPS spokesperson said existing county teen centers could not absorb the program’s daily participation, which can reach 4,500 students. In annual school system surveys, 39% of middle school parents said their children would be home alone if after-school programming were unavailable.

Summer camps could also disappear

Hill’s budget would cut another $200,000 from the Values in Prevention program, a five-week summer initiative for rising seventh- and eighth-grade students. The educational and recreational camps operate at five FCPS middle schools selected each year.

County budget documents identify Teens in Action as a possible alternative. That program offers activities for ages 12 through 18 at community centers during the summer and on certain school holidays, but it serves fewer students and does not provide daily after-school supervision.

Fairfax County officials said they are working with FCPS on a transition plan in case VIP funding is eliminated. Continuing the Middle School After-School program, however, would require the school system to find other resources.

Lower-income families could feel the deepest effects

Mason District School Board member Ricardy Anderson said the reductions would fall disproportionately on economically disadvantaged students who depend on the programs for academic help, extracurricular opportunities and a supervised place to spend the afternoon.

For some families, she said, the after-school program provides access to activities they cannot otherwise afford or manage because of league fees, transportation demands and scheduling barriers. Anderson’s own son would be among the affected participants.

The program is more than an optional extracurricular activity for many households, she said, because it helps bridge gaps in opportunity and support.

An NCS representative noted that some middle school activities would remain available outside the program. FCPS, for example, recently introduced cross-country and track at middle schools. Those offerings, however, are separate from the broad schedule coordinated by dedicated after-school specialists.

The Board of Supervisors began helping FCPS establish the current program in 2006. County support for middle school after-school activities dates back at least to a School Age Child Care pilot program in fiscal year 2001.

County funding associated with the initiative also supports parent liaisons and MentorWorks, which recruits volunteer mentors for students.

Cuts extend beyond student programs

Hill’s plan would eliminate $6.7 million from Neighborhood and Community Services as agencies respond to rising expenses, slow revenue growth and economic uncertainty. Departments were asked to identify potential reductions of up to 10%.

Other proposed effects include closing the Pimmit Hills Senior Center, reducing assistance for adults with disabilities in senior center programs, ending county support for FCPS’ Bridge to Kindergarten initiative and discontinuing the annual volunteer recognition event.

The county said it hopes to use community and government partnerships to continue meeting students’ needs if the summer program is eliminated, although details of a transition plan were not yet available.

County and schools face difficult negotiations

FCPS is confronting financial uncertainty of its own, including possible federal funding losses tied to Trump administration actions involving transgender athletes and diversity programs.

Hill’s budget would increase the county transfer to FCPS by $118.6 million. That is well below the additional $268 million requested by Superintendent Michelle Reid, who said much of the increase is needed to honor a newly approved union contract that includes a 7% teacher raise beginning in July.

During a joint Feb. 25 work session, county supervisors pressed FCPS to find additional efficiencies and savings. School Board members cautioned that deeper reductions could harm classroom instruction, support services and employee retention.

Hunter Mill District School Board member Melanie Meren urged the two governing bodies to work together on a cost-effective way to preserve the after-school and summer programs rather than ending services that families already rely upon.

The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to hold public hearings on the proposed budget and capital improvement plan from April 22 through April 25. A final adoption vote is set for May 13, and the new budget will take effect July 1.