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The Fairfax County School Board adopted a proposed $4.1 billion fiscal 2027 budget on February 26, prioritizing employee compensation and the restoration of some positions cut during the previous budget cycle.
The spending plan represents a $197 million, or 5%, increase over the approved fiscal 2026 budget. Nearly 85% of the proposed funding is dedicated to classroom instruction and direct support for students and teachers.
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid called the proposal a disciplined plan centered on restoring critical support, meeting compensation commitments and continuing investments that directly benefit students.
“This proposal focuses on essentials — restoring at least in part, critical supports, honoring our commitments to appropriate compensation, and continuing strategic investments that directly benefit students,” Reid said.
The budget would fully restore Special Education Department Chair positions and Advanced Academic Resource Teacher positions at schools that do not receive Title I funding. It also calls for a partial restoration of staffing formulas at elementary, middle and high schools.
Competitive pay remains another major priority as the school system seeks to retain educators and support employees in a region with a high cost of living. The proposal funds compensation increases included in collective bargaining agreements covering Fairfax Education Unions and the Fairfax County Federation of Principals, Supervisors and Administrators.
The plan also continues several multiyear initiatives, including certified athletic trainers at every high school, family liaisons, stipends for fine and performing arts, student athletics and activities, K-12 robotics and math credentialing for educators.
Fairfax County provides nearly 69% of the school system’s revenue, while the average Virginia school division receives less than half of its financial support from its local government. The requested increase in the county transfer is 48% smaller than the increase requested a year earlier and closely matches the fiscal forecast presented to county and school officials in fall 2025.
School Board Chair and Springfield District representative Sandy Anderson said the budget supports students and employees during a difficult fiscal period, but warned that the school system’s reliance on local funding cannot continue indefinitely.
“The Commonwealth has an obligation to strengthen its partnership so we can maintain the quality our community expects,” Anderson said.
Over the past decade, the school system has made more than $800 million in staffing reductions, cost avoidances and fee increases to operate within available funding.