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Dear Community Members,

Here it is, the last quarter of this school year! So much will be confirmed, challenged, celebrated, and memorialized in the remaining months ahead, for our students, faculty, and families. There is important work ahead of me and the School Board, and your attendance at select upcoming public meetings is critical to all of our success! (See below.)

The biggest priority in this moment is securing the full funding of the Superintendent’s proposed budget for next school year (SY 25-26).  

Here’s the scoop: The Superintendent proposed the bare minimum to fund FCPS, back in January, with priorities on competitive employee compensation to retain teachers and MEET current needs of Fairfax children and families - there are no new initiatives proposed, even though there are opportunities to improve educational outcomes, such as access to world languages, which I explained at the March 27 Regular Meeting, here. The School Board approved this proposal, and it is now before the County Board of Supervisors (“The County”), who ultimately are determining the total amount of public funds that will be dedicated to all County services, including public schools. The County budget is approved May 13.

What the County has proposed to transfer to FCPS leaves a significant gap, and we will not be able to provide competitive salaries to our educators and staff, making Fairfax County Public Schools vulnerable to higher salaries in adjacent counties. Our staff will leave for better-paying jobs, as is already happening.

In addition, in the County’s own budget, it funds some programs that occur in our public schools; however, the County has proposed eliminating middle school afterschool programs (which serves over 23,800 students), summer learning programs, and high school transportation safety, and more. 

I am firmly opposed to these cuts, as I stated in this Fairfax Now, article. I will do whatever I can to prevent any cuts to the Superintendent’s proposed budget and existing programming that is relied upon for the success of that budget. Further, anything that is proposed to be cut must be accompanied by data showing why this option is being proposed; however, I’m not aware of any such data from the County Executive, Bryan Hill, substantiating his proposed budget of the County Government.

Fully funding our public schools is the most viable option for economic survival and stability of Fairfax County. 

Our public schools need continued investment; our teachers are underpaid and students require more than ever from schools.

A united effort by County leaders is the way forward - School Board and County Board! 

Now, where you can show up, and also speak up if you’d like: