Elected officials are considering major organizational changes for the Alexandria City School Board, including increasing pay for its members by 87% starting on Jan. 1, 2028.
Earlier this month, the School Board discussed increasing member pay from $15,000 to $28,000 on Jan. 1, 2028, and then by $5,000 every July 1 until members make $43,000 (a 187% total raise) in the 2031 fiscal year.
Alexandria’s School Board salary has been $15,000 since 2007. In Fairfax County, board members earn a salary of $48,000, and members of the Arlington County School Board earn $25,000.
“Board members can’t raise their own pay mid-term, so the Board must act by December 2026 for the increase to take effect after the next election,” School Board members said in a recent blog post.
Alexandria’s City Council increased their salaries in 2025, raising the mayor’s pay from $41,500 to $72,000, and City Council members from $37,500 to $68,000.
The news comes as the School Board and City Council ad hoc committee on election reforms is recommending moving from three to four-year terms for the nine-member board. Staggered terms or changes to board size were not recommended by the committee. The committee will present a report to the City Council for review on Nov. 10.
In November 2024, the School Board passed a resolution asking City Council to amend the City Charter to increase School Board terms from three to four years and transition from elections every three years for the full board to staggered terms, with a member from each school district elected every year. Currently, all nine School Board members are elected in the same cycle every three years.
While the School Board can take action on member pay, a change to the School Board term length would require a city charter amendment preceded by a public hearing and legislation by the Virginia General Assembly. Last week, School Board Member Kelly Carmichael Booz told the board the General Assembly could consider legislation in 2027 but is more likely to take action in 2028.
