Alexandria City Manager James Parajon presented the FY 2026 budget to City Council tonight (Tuesday) but one of the major items was something not included in the budget: the conversion of Jefferson-Houston K-8 School to a middle school.
The budget included $21 million to Alexandria City Public Schools in capital funding — funding devoted to major development projects in a capital budget. In a release, the City of Alexandria said the funding was in line with the funding level requested for FY 2026 in the School Board capital funding request.
However, Parajon said this was short of the $57 million in capital funding requested by the School Board.
“This is not sustainable,” Parajon said. “The proposed CIP does not provide the additional funding requested by the school board and does not provide for conversion of Jefferson Houston due to the need for additional conversations with our City Council.”
In December, the School Board voted to convert Jefferson-Houston and Patrick Henry, both K-8 programs, to a middle school and elementary school respectively in an effort to address overpopulation in the city’s middle schools. Both of Alexandria’s middle schools are well over 100% capacity.
While converting Jefferson-Houston to a middle school could help alleviate overcrowding at other middle schools, the school conversions aren’t expected to take place until 2030 and 2032 — after enrollment is projected to begin decreasing.
The Alexandria Times reported that the decision was driven in part by Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt’s hopes to get the change approved with support from the outgoing School Board ahead of significant turnover. The vote caught many in the community off guard, resulting in backlash from both Jefferson-Houston community members and City leadership. A legal challenge to the proposal is also currently working through the courts.
“This is a tough decision,” Kay-Wyatt said at the time. “We need this decision, and it will impact everything from elementary to middle school and beyond as we enter into this decision, rolling immediately into redistricting in January. It’s all tied together. So, this decision is needed for districting and is needed for how we plan for enrollment across K-8.”
Tonight’s presentation was just the start of a multi-month budget process. Budget work sessions and hearings are scheduled throughout March and April with the final budget adoption scheduled for April 30. While the City also sets out what is allocated to ACPS, it doesn’t directly control how the money is spent.
In a statement, a group advocating for Jefferson-Houston to remain a K-8 school praised the City Manager’s decision.
The statement from Save J-H is shared below:
Tonight, the City of Alexandria took an important first step in preserving elementary education at Jefferson-Houston. The City Manager presented his 10-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget at the Alexandria City Council legislative meeting, where he stated that the proposed CIP will not include funding for the School Board’s request to close Jefferson-Houston’s elementary program.
The Save Jefferson-Houston community commends the Alexandria City Manager’s Office for their leadership in preserving elementary school education at Jefferson-Houston, the city’s only majority Black elementary school in the historic Parker-Gray neighborhood. Their decision reinforces a commitment to responsible governance, community engagement, and high-quality neighborhood education.
Jefferson-Houston is a vital cornerstone of our community, serving diverse families who rely on a walkable elementary program. Closing it would have been a short-sighted decision with lasting consequences. We thank the City Manager and City Council for listening to families, educators, and community leaders, carefully reviewing data, and considering the long-term impact.
As we move forward, we urge collaboration between the City and School Board to develop a strategic vision for ACPS that prioritizes a net new middle school to relieve overcrowding across the city, while maintaining existing elementary programs. This decision is a step in the right direction, and we remain committed to building a stronger, more equitable school system for all.
