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Local education leaders unanimously approved the fiscal 2026 budget on May 22, securing substantial employee raises and a landmark collective bargaining agreement while making difficult reductions to close a $121 million shortfall.

The agreement is the school division’s first of its kind in recent history. Employees represented by the Fairfax Education Unions will receive a 6% compensation increase, while other employees will receive a 5% increase.

Fairfax County Public Schools attributed the funding gap to years of underinvestment in public education. Officials said they designed the spending plan to protect classrooms, maintain services and support the division’s strategic goals as much as possible.

Superintendent Dr. Michelle C. Reid described the decisions as difficult, saying the division remains committed to using available money effectively while supporting students, employees and its educational mission.

The budget changes the staffing formula to reduce general education teaching positions, primarily through attrition. It also eliminates money for classroom monitors and delays the purchase of social studies curriculum materials.

Central office departments will each absorb a 3% reduction, and the office supporting elected education officials will receive the same cut. The plan also pauses funding for electric buses and reduces non-local professional-development travel spending by 50%.

Central funding for Advanced Academic Resource Teachers and elementary special education department chairs will also decrease. Regional administrators will work with individual schools to find school-based funding that can preserve those positions for at least the coming year.

Chair Karl Frisch, the Providence District representative, said nearly everyone would be asked to give something up. He said the reductions were carefully targeted to limit harm to classrooms, students and educators, while arguing that the cuts demonstrate the need for more effective cooperation with county and state funding partners.

Planning for fiscal 2027 will now begin. Reid and local education leaders intend to start discussions with county and state officials about sharing responsibility during the next budget process.

Reid said maintaining high expectations requires sustained support for schools, adding that a strong education system benefits students, Fairfax County and Virginia.