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Fairfax County Public Schools has proposed a five-year construction plan that calls for two new elementary schools, renovations at 22 existing schools and expanded use of energy-saving building practices.
The proposed fiscal 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program also includes capacity improvements and the relocation of modular buildings. Renovations are planned for 18 elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools.
FCPS updates the program annually to account for changing infrastructure needs and construction costs. Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid said the division aims to make the most of available resources while protecting taxpayers’ investments in school facilities.
The proposal comes as FCPS faces a growing backlog of deferred maintenance that could eventually result in expensive emergency repairs. Virginia school divisions depend heavily on voter-approved bonds for construction rather than state allocations, and FCPS says its capital construction funding is lower than that of nearby school systems.
FCPS, the nation’s ninth-largest school district, maintains roughly as much building space as four Pentagons to serve more than 180,000 students.
Its facilities also host extensive community activity. About 500,000 events unaffiliated with FCPS take place in school buildings each year. That use includes an average of 91 weekly events held by local nonprofit religious and cultural organizations, as well as Fairfax County Park Authority camps, classes and Rec-Pac programs at approximately 80 schools.
Fairfax County’s School Age Child Care program operates at 142 schools, while 169 schools and centers serve as polling locations during elections. FCPS also provides free facility access to many groups, including 4-H organizations, scouting groups, civic and cultural associations, and homeowners associations.
Janice Szymanski, the division’s chief of facilities services and capital programs, said the buildings support both student education and community organizations throughout Fairfax County.
The plan also advances goals established by the Fairfax County Joint Environmental Task Force. Its planning and budget provisions include additional net-zero-energy construction practices designed to minimize energy consumption. Some such buildings can produce enough energy to meet or exceed their operating needs.
Funding in the proposal includes money approved through the 2023 bond referendum and earlier voter-backed referenda. FCPS continues to monitor inflation and supply-chain pressures affecting construction expenses, with renovation schedules adjusted during annual updates.
The division is also developing a new renovation queue that will appear in a future capital plan after it is completed.
Fairfax County voters are expected to consider additional bond funding for school projects in November 2025. The School Board reviewed the proposed program during a Jan. 14 work session, and a public hearing was held the same day at Luther Jackson Middle School. The board is scheduled to act on the plan Feb. 6.