Michelle Rief | ALXnow

11 students earn high school diplomas at Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center

Published June 17, 2026 at 2:45PM

Graduation day at the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center, June 17, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Eleven residents at the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Center in Alexandria’s West End marked a significant milestone as they were presented with their high school diplomas today (Wednesday).

The graduation event was attended by family members, NVJDC residents and staff, as well as City Councilwoman Sandy Marks and Alexandria City School Board Chair Michelle Rief. The jail’s state-operated school is managed by Alexandria City Public Schools, which provides licensed staff to teach 10-to-18-year-old children brought in from across Alexandria, Arlington County and the city of Falls Church.

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School Board cuts 56 positions in $401M ACPS budget, gives lifeline to CIS program

By James Cullum and Emily Leayman

Published June 12, 2026 at 5:45PM

The Alexandria City School Board on June 11, 2016 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City School Board gave the green light to its $401.18 million combined funds budget on Thursday night, capping months of public meetings and conversations during what Board Chair Michelle Rief described as “an extraordinarily difficult budget year.”

“This year’s budget development process occurred amid significant uncertainty,” Rief said before the budget’s passage, “including federal workforce reductions that disproportionately affect Alexandria, slowing City revenue growth, continued inflationary pressures, the complexity of negotiating our first collective bargaining agreement and the delayed adoption of the state budget.”

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State budget impasse leaves uncertainty as Alexandria School Board lines up final budget

By Emily Leayman

Published June 10, 2026 at 1:45PM | Updated June 11, 2026 at 4:18PM

Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt talks about a proposed policy change on student publications at the May 8, 2025, School Board meeting (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria City School Board held a work session yesterday (June 9) to decide adds and deletes from the budget before final approval, but the state budget impasse leaves future funding for compensation and other items unresolved.

Several of the 38 add/delete proposals that had at least four co-sponsors received support to be added into the Alexandria City Public Schools budget. The School Board will vote on the final budget tomorrow (June 11).

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ACPS Early Childhood Center courtyard dedicated as ‘Owen’s Place’ in tribute to principal’s late son

By Emily Leayman

Published June 3, 2026 at 2:45PM

The new "Owen's Place" dedication at the Early Childhood Center on June 2, 2026 (via ACPS)

A courtyard at Alexandria City Public Schools’ Early Childhood Center is now named in honor of the principal’s late son.

ACPS held a naming ceremony Tuesday (June 2) for the courtyard at the Early Childhood Center (5651 Rayburn Avenue). The name “Owen’s Place” references Owen Michael Wagner, the late teenage son of the center’s first principal, Heidi Haggerty-Wagner.

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City Council considers special committee to discuss School Board election reform, more ACPS funds

By Emily Leayman

Published May 27, 2026 at 12:30PM

Alexandria City Council on May 12, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Council took a step Tuesday (May 26) to consider changes to the School Board’s terms and the size of the nine-member board. The council is also considering using potential contingent funds that will be available in the new fiscal year to fund Community in Schools of Northern Virginia at Alexandria City Public Schools.

Mayor Alyia Gaskins received support from a majority of City Council members on the proposal to form an ad hoc committee on election reform. City Council’s request will direct City Manager Jim Parajon to prepare a resolution to create the committee that two City Council members would be in. Gaskins said the committee’s scope would allow it to look at staggered terms and other election reform items such as board size, timing of terms or representation. The two City Council members would work with two School Board members to bring forward election reform recommendations.

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School Board asks City Council to redirect reserve funds to program for high-needs students

By James Cullum and Emily Leayman

Published May 21, 2026 at 3:45PM

Alexandria School Board meeting in 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria School Board is asking City Council to use emergency funds to help preserve a $350,000 program that supports high-needs students.

In a joint letter to City Council, Chair Michelle Rief said the School Board is navigating difficult choices between staff and programming cuts. The request comes after City Council approved its Fiscal Year 2027 Budget, leaving a $5.6 million gap for the school system’s proposed $12.7 million collective bargaining agreement. Proposed budget cuts to fill the gap include reducing the partnership with Communities In Schools of Northern Virginia (CIS NOVA), which provides 10 bilingual staffers at Alexandria City High School, Francis Hammond Middle School, Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 School and Samuel Tucker, John Adams and William Ramsay Elementary Schools.

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ACPS enrollment projected to drop as Alexandria birth rates decline

By James Cullum

Published May 19, 2026 at 2:45PM

The first day at school at George Mason Elementary School, Aug. 21, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The student population in Alexandria City Public Schools is projected to drop steadily over the next decade, driven mainly by residents having less kids.

That’s according to data from the Virginia Department of Health presented to the Joint City Council/School Board Subcommittee’s monthly meeting Monday night (May 18). The number of ACPS students is projected to increase slightly from 15,928 this year to 15,958 in 2027 before dropping to 15,415 by 2036 — a 3.4% decline from 2027.

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ACPS board weighs staffing and program cuts to address $5.6M budget gap

By James Cullum

Published May 6, 2026 at 2:45PM

Alexandria School Board Chair Michelle Rief speaks at Alexandria City High School's 25th anniversary celebration of the film Remember The Titans, Sept. 19, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City School Board Chair Michelle Rief says the school system will have to look toward its own resources, and not the city, to fill a $5.6 million funding gap.

In a blog post last week, Rief addressed City Council’s decision to not fill the $5.6 million gap the school system needs to fund its proposed $12.7 million collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Council approved the city’s $979.1 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget on April 29, after some councilmembers expressed surprise that the proposed CBA was not part of a multi-year agreement.

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Virginia’s top education officials bring statewide listening tour to Alexandria

By James Cullum

Published April 9, 2026 at 11:45AM

Virginia's Secretary of Education Jeffery O. Smith listens to concerns at Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus, April 8, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Virginia’s top education officials were in Alexandria on Wednesday as part of a statewide listening tour on public education needs.

Secretary of Education Jeffery O. Smith was joined by Virginia Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction Jenna Conway, Alexandria City School Board members and approximately 100 participants at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus. House of Delegates Majority Leader Del. Charniele Herring (D-4) attended an earlier roundtable with the officials.

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JUST IN: Jefferson-Houston teacher named N. Va. region’s teacher of the year

By James Cullum

Published April 8, 2026 at 2:45PM

Jefferson-Houston AVID teacher Deedra Robinson (with her students) was named Virginia Regional Teacher of the Year, April 8, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Deedra Robinson, a teacher at Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School, has been named the Region 4 (Northern Virginia) Teacher of the Year.

The surprise announcement was made this afternoon (Wednesday) by Jenna Conway, Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, in front of an assembly of students, family members and Alexandria City Public Schools administrators. Robinson teaches 48 students in the school’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program and plans to retire at the end of the school year.

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Despite School Board protest, City Council votes to change ACPS appropriation process

By James Cullum

Published March 12, 2026 at 1:00PM

Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins in Council Chambers, April 8, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

City Council ignored a plea from the School Board Tuesday night, unanimously approving a resolution to change how the city appropriates funding to Alexandria City Public Schools.

City Council’s resolution directs ACPS, in preparation for the Fiscal Year 2028 budget, to submit estimates for funds needed through major classifications instead of a lump sum. The School Board asked that the move, which was introduced at a March 4 joint work session with City Council, be postponed as it restricts the school system from redirecting budgeted funds to pay for programs and services.