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FCPS leaders unanimously approved the fiscal year 2027 budget on May 21, maintaining competitive compensation and strategic investments intended to support student success.
The spending plan was adopted amid economic uncertainty and persistent state underfunding. It also restores several reductions made during the previous fiscal year.
The budget decision comes as the division prepares for graduations, summer classes and the final weeks of the 2025-26 school year.
Seniors turn classroom lessons into careers
West Potomac High School student Lily plans to work as a 911 operator after graduation. Her path into emergency services began with a 911 dispatch class at West Potomac Academy and exposure to the county’s Department of Public Safety Communications.
Oakton High School seniors Jovina and Victoria have pursued their interests in medicine, engineering and education through ImagineHere, their nonprofit organization. The longtime friends created hands-on STEM programs for younger students, published a children’s book about hearing-loss awareness and raised money to improve access to hearing aids.
At Bryant High School, senior Mohammad is graduating with several state-level medals and a top-tier apprenticeship awaiting him. After coming to the United States from Yemen, he developed into a leader among his classmates and earned recognition through SkillsUSA.
Students, families and employees may post graduation or promotion ceremony photos on Facebook or Instagram by tagging FCPS and their school and using the hashtag #FCPSgrad26.
Summer registration closes June 5
Registration for FCPS Online Campus summer courses ends Friday, June 5. Questions can be sent to [email protected] or answered by calling 703-503-7781.
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid also recently discussed changes to literacy instruction in middle and high schools. The more rigorous curriculum uses complex texts and advanced strategies for teaching reading and writing.
During a visit to Great Falls Elementary School, Reid observed students participating in tae kwon do. Parents have welcomed the program as a physical outlet, while teachers have reported positive classroom changes since it began.
Dunn Loring building prepares for a return to education
FCPS will celebrate the history and legacy of the Dunn Loring Center on Saturday, May 30, from 10 a.m. to noon.
The building opened in 1939 as the Dunn Loring School after being constructed with federal Public Works Administration funding. It later served as a welcome center offering resources to the broader school community.
The division is now preparing to return the historic building to its original purpose as a school.
Families face several key dates
Wednesday, June 17, is the final day of school, with abbreviated schedules across the division.
High schools will operate from 8 to 10 a.m., and secondary schools will run from 8:10 to 10:10 a.m. Middle and elementary schools will dismiss two hours early, with individual schools providing their specific dismissal times.
The 2026-27 school year begins Monday, August 24. The final regular FCPS weekly newsletter of the current school year is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10.
Families can also obtain general division information through dedicated phone lines offered in Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu and Vietnamese.