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About 100 Fairfax County Public Schools employees and supporters rallied Tuesday to press county leaders to restore pay, benefits and staffing commitments that were negotiated last year but later reduced because of a funding shortfall.
The demonstration outside the Fairfax County Governmental Center coincided with the first of three days of public comment on County Executive Bryan Hill’s proposed $5.7 billion fiscal year 2027 budget.
“We’re here to make sure the Board of Supervisors knows … they cannot leave the schools behind,” Fairfax County Federation of Teachers President Emily VanDerhoff said.
Hill’s plan would provide slightly more than $2.8 billion for FCPS operations. That represents a $94.6 million increase over the current fiscal year but remains about $43 million below the amount Superintendent Michelle Reid requested.
FCFT Treasurer Zac Coe said the rally was intended to persuade supervisors to “undo the damage that was done last year.”
“Last year was not okay,” Coe said.
In late 2024, FCFT and the Fairfax Education Association negotiated a contract with school administrators that included 7% raises for the 2025-26 school year. Supervisors did not fully fund Reid’s subsequent budget request, prompting the school board last spring to reduce the raises and make other cuts.
Reid’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget would fund employee compensation, reduce class sizes and restore special education and advanced academic positions eliminated during last year’s reductions.
Collective bargaining by local government employees was barred under Virginia law for more than four decades. The General Assembly restored some bargaining rights in 2020, but union agreements remain subject to appropriations.
Because Virginia school districts have no independent taxing authority, fulfilling their contract commitments depends on funding from local, state and federal governments.
Last year, Reid sought more county support than Hill recommended. Following public friction between county and school officials, supervisors ultimately adopted Hill’s funding level.
Rally speakers said teachers and support workers suffered because of conflict between the school board and Board of Supervisors. Supervisors had described Reid’s requested $248 million increase and the raises negotiated under the collective bargaining agreement as unrealistic in the current economy.
FCFT countered that supervisors prioritized “wealthy donor interests” by using expected meals-tax revenue to reduce the real estate tax rate instead of directing the money toward schools and other needs.
“When Fairfax County underfunds education, we are the ones that bear the impact,” said Symone White, a speech pathologist and union member.
“It’s about values and what is prioritized in our community,” White said. “This is not just a job, it’s a calling.”
Not everyone addressing supervisors inside the government center favored additional school funding. Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance President Arthur Purves argued that residents are being taxed out of the county and said FCPS should not receive more revenue until declining test scores improve.
Eli Bolotin, the parent of a first-grader, urged school supporters at the rally to maintain regular contact with elected leaders.
“The passion is so important,” Bolotin said, encouraging residents to approach supervisors and explain the importance of education.
FCFT and FEA are separate unions that compete for FCPS employee membership, but they have collaborated since 2024 to negotiate joint agreements with the school system. The current instructional personnel contract between FCPS and Fairfax Educational Unions, which incorporates both organizations, remains in effect through June 2028.