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Fairfax County Public Schools is proposing a series of spending reductions to close a $28 million gap in its fiscal year 2027 budget as officials await the outcome of Virginia’s budget process.

The proposal would reduce the staffing reserve and the superintendent’s strategic reserve, use alternative funding for major maintenance, extend the replacement timeline for FCPSOn technology devices, defer microcredentialing and cut spending on math curriculum materials.

Additional state funding could allow FCPS to revise those reductions before the School Board holds its final budget vote later this month.

The FY27 plan is intended to fulfill collective bargaining commitments while reversing some of the most consequential cuts made in FY26. It would partially restore a staffing formula adjustment that increased class sizes and fully restore Special Education Department Chair positions and Advanced Academic Resource Teacher positions at non-Title I schools.

The Middle School After School and Value in Prevention programs would also continue during the next school year.

FCPS said it has sought stability through monthly budget oversight, monitoring vacant positions and limiting external hiring. The school system reported that 97% of staff intend to return for the 2026-27 academic year.

The division also pointed to several measures of recent performance. All FCPS schools are fully accredited under Virginia’s new Standards of Accreditation, and the number of National Merit semifinalists increased 37% from the previous year. FCPS also educates one-quarter of Virginia’s multilingual learners.

FCPS was recently named a recipient of the Partnership for Excellence’s 2026 Gold Award for Achievement of Excellence. It was the first education applicant to receive the Gold Award on its first application. The recognition is based on the Baldrige Excellence Framework and evaluates organizational innovation, results and leadership.

The School Board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the budget Tuesday, May 12, followed by its final vote Thursday, May 21.