Potential collective bargaining agreements and redrawn school boundaries were factored into the latest budget proposal presented to the Alexandria City School Board last night (Thursday).
Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt proposed the $406.5 million combined funds budget for fiscal year 2027, a 3.7% increase from the last approved budget. The bulk of funds are in the $374.5 million operating budget, but it also includes school nutrition funds as well as grants and a special projects fund.
ACPS is in the midst of a collective bargaining process with several bargaining units but does not have formal agreements in place. The budget estimates collective bargaining agreement impacts by setting aside $11.44 million in a salary reserve for estimated salary step increases, cost-of-living adjustments, bonuses and other negotiated items as well as $2.05 million for benefits.
The proposed budget also accounts for school-based staffing positions for the redistricting process. School attendance zone adjustments are set to go into effect during the 2026-2027 school year.
“The Proposed FY 2027 Combined-Funds Budget focuses on maintaining stability across our schools while making strategic investments aligned with our priorities,” ACPS CFO Dominic Turner said in a press release. “In a challenging fiscal environment, this budget prioritizes investments in instructional excellence, supporting our workforce and positioning ACPS to meet student needs now and in the future.”
The budget accounts for an anticipated 0.2% (30-student) enrollment increase in the next school year.
While the budget calls for a net decrease of 8.9 full-time equivalent positions, salary and benefit drive the proposed budget increase as ACPS tries to stay regionally competitive with Northern Virginia counterparts.
The budget proposal calls for an average 5.4% salary increase and 2.4% benefits increase, bringing salary costs to $236.64 million and benefits to $89.67 million.
Health insurance premiums and salary increases are causing the school district’s benefit contributions to rise, according to the proposal. The school district will continue to offer incentives for hard-to-fill roles.
Following the budget proposal, the School Board will hold a work session and public hearing on Jan. 27. If the board needs another work session, it will be scheduled on Jan. 29. ACPS will also hold a budget forum with the Alexandria Parent Teacher Association Council on Feb. 3.
The board is slated to approve the combined funds budget on Feb. 19. After City Council approves the city government budget, the superintendent will recommend any ACPS budget changes if needed in May. For the $374.5 million ACPS operating budget, the superintendent’s proposal requests $292.27 million in city funding, a 3.5% increase from the last budget.
Final adoption of the budget will follow on June 11.
The school board already approved the latest 10-year capital budget, which continues plans to convert Jefferson-Houston Pre-K-8 school into a middle school and Patrick Henry K-8 School into an elementary school.
