[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6349375,"mediaKeyId","2238853-3be3e0425ae6004fbb753dafda8e5d40","parentId",2238853,"title","FCPS proposes $4.0 billion FY26 budget; seeks $268 million county increase largely to fund a 7% pay raise and special‑education growth","audioSeconds",2504,"startMs",7041000,"endMs",9545000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2238853-3be3e0425ae6004fbb753dafda8e5d40&start=7041&end=9545","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2238853-3be3e0425ae6004fbb753dafda8e5d40/thumbnail_7041000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6349375/Virginia/FCPS-proposes-40-billion-FY26-budget-seeks-268-million-county-increase-largely-to-fund-a-7-pay-raise-and-specialeducation-growth","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349375-c2d40659beaa8964933e3a4c2d663820/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150958&Signature=fDvU4eKhnBp59bDoFw6v2vV2e~yMFrGrcuy6wfhYUlfN84EhM03QnZ95bi30cBMPwRn98DTJKpPguVW4uCHcrafBh-dBOOkTzbjkrPZoIBNI-pYHCpgfZKBF55vjKzVWS9w8qVvZbl22oSWFdzvncEc0-Pgj7vuiPe-bPI4uWCc9EjhcMAP3y9X3SmRMTylaOiheb2MUBCRQNMTcceSiOYlkIgsb~tbKi9QLpA8wPF5o12BEis7h7gtBXFCbhuKmyIV79W4GOe~gXFiNqBaW9OxFTQlbJTr9zkaXGmXI6FXXQkHAP5C-WLYXKaiRj854KTUlbDQD372WOXpX5sA-lw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fairfax Co Public School","date","2025-02-04T21:51:31Z","article","Fairfax County Public Schools proposed a $4.0 billion fiscal‑year‑2026 operating budget and asked the county government for an additional $268 million in transfer funds — an increase the superintendent characterized as necessary largely to fund compensation and respond to rising student service needs.

Why it matters: The proposed request sets the division’s priorities for the coming year — staff pay, staffing tied to enrollment and student needs (primarily special education), baseline cost escalations and a small set of identified investments — and frames FCPS’ funding request to the county board of supervisors.

Topline numbers and drivers
- Proposed FY26 operating budget: $4,000,000,000 (increase of $297,100,000 over FY25 approved).
- County transfer requested increase: $268,000,000 (about 10.4%); the request is primarily designed to support a 7% compensation increase presented for all employees.
- Compensation is the largest single line: staff presented a 7% across‑the‑board adjustment and salary‑scale changes for certain classifications to improve recruiting and retention; staff said the proposal would improve the division’s beginning‑teacher ranking in the Washington-area comparison.
- Enrollment and student‑needs change: staff identified a $20,000,000 impact for FY26 related to enrollment and student needs; special education accounted for roughly $20,600,000 of that increase, driven by a projected 1,486 additional students receiving special-education services.

Staff framed the compensation request as competitive recruiting and retention policy. The presentation showed FCPS lagging in midpoint and maximum teacher pay versus neighboring divisions; staff said a 7% proposal would raise FCPS to first in the region for beginning‑teacher (master’s lane) pay and improve its midpoint ranking.

Special education and student‑need growth
Budget staff said special education is the primary enrollment driver; projections show continued growth in special‑education service counts and a related four‑year net staffing impact. There are two sets of preschool investments in the proposal: (a) 15 new preschool special‑education classrooms to meet identified demand and (b) a multi‑year inclusive‑preschool expansion (11 classrooms) as a multi‑year initiative. Staff explained that where possible they will site new preschool special‑education classes at schools that already offer general‑education preschool in order to increase inclusion, but they also said facility constraints influence exact siting.

State, federal and other context
Staff reviewed state funding and the JLARC (Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission) study that estimated FCPS’ share of underfunding at roughly $568.7 million (the division cited JLARC’s estimates as context for the state funding conversation). Staff also summarized House and Senate budget language changes under consideration in the General Assembly and told the board that any final state actions will be reflected when the commonwealth completes reconciliation.

On federal risk, staff flagged a sector‑wide concern: the new federal administration’s early executive‑order guidance and a temporary pause in some federal grant actions created uncertainty about “pause” impacts; food and nutrition (meal reimbursements) was called out as a high‑exposure program because FCPS receives about $58.2 million in meal reimbursements and nearly 37% of students are eligible for free and reduced‑price meals. Staff said they are monitoring federal guidance closely and that the pause language is in flux due to legal challenges.

Other notable items
- Baseline adjustments and recurring costs were summarized (substitute teacher incentives, online campus, custodial/maintenance backlog funding). Staff included $9.3 million for enhanced summer school and $3.6 million to address maintenance backlog.
- Multi‑year initiatives in the proposal include inclusive preschool expansion and other previously authorized efforts.
- Staff gave an update on a division Baldrige quality‑management effort: FCPS is preparing a regional Baldrige application and expects a 25‑page submission this spring with a 50‑page national application due in December; staff said the process has already produced organizational review and will inform FY27 planning.

Board reaction and follow‑up requests
Board members asked for more public‑facing materials that summarize past reductions and efficiencies (so the board can show ‘homework’ and fiscal restraint when presenting to the county), asked for more complete scale comparisons (bachelor’s vs master’s lanes and midpoint calculations), and requested greater detail on special‑education drivers (for example 504 counts vs IEP counts, and whether growth is driven by in‑migration). Staff said they will provide additional analytics and follow‑ups in the budget question process.

Ending: Superintendent and budget staff will continue the budget question cycle; the board will vote to advertise the FY26 budget later in February and return to detailed follow‑up during the public comment and budget‑approval process.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2/4/25 - FCPS School Board Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","Fairfax County Public Schools proposed a $4.0 billion fiscal‑year‑2026 operating budget and asked the county government for an additional $268 million in transfer funds — an increase the superintendent characterized as necessary largely to fund compensation and respond to rising student service needs.","taxTitle","FAIRFAX CO PBLC SCHS, School Districts, Virginia","taxId",14506,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6349384,"FCPS: Verified Algebra I credits by eighth grade rise 8 points to 59%; staff point to enrollment outreach and K–7 coherence",796,4521000,5317000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2238853-3be3e0425ae6004fbb753dafda8e5d40&start=4521&end=5317","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2238853-3be3e0425ae6004fbb753dafda8e5d40/thumbnail_4521000.jpg","/articles/6349384/Virginia/FCPS-Verified-Algebra-I-credits-by-eighth-grade-rise-8-points-to-59-staff-point-to-enrollment-outreach-and-K7-coherence","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349384-cdd72caf1f25f2029c42dfb6c14a1cb7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150958&Signature=GAf7xFHjXgHQyWzdYx2rjXosuT7ayMsQ-vo49mT8T~wmWnmIzrG-S~AKnqC5X~IPeuB7QwUAyo1wKSV5mMpzDDYZQ463Ldp61J5iGUBFS2Sk9pwfB--eGkW-hRhBUHQa2VX6dUV-78Oh1kH9-BEF6QM6S~JvzaZQ5HlxIXz25shkXmqALLtyzp7c8fyptRbht~VuH1x3txPrBudMyNOCd0SUkTvGXYyUUFzZcbvRk8E5EIASgF7n~DSqyHC1u3kF4Rnw8smY6szIcOT0OaBiHd3XQ9EDhhOPQhYvX7q0MuEqQzwKJXLkrDK1VfWp9Iu4ShklgGUw4voUQMbBkYtH-A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fairfax County Public Schools staff told the School Board that the share of students earning a verified Algebra I credit by the end of eighth grade rose from 51% at baseline to 59% last year, a reported eight-percentage-point gain.

Why it matters: Earning Algebra I in middle school is associated with greater access to high‑level math and science in high school and higher postsecondary attainment. Board members framed the gain as an early signal that system-level changes — not only student-level interventions — can shift access to the math pipeline.

Staff noted several important findings from the data: nearly 95% of students who finished Algebra I by eighth grade earned at least a C‑minus in the course, suggesting that the main barrier to verified credit is enrollment rather than underperformance after enrollment. Gains occurred for many student groups; students with disabilities and multilingual learners continued to have rates below the division average. Former multilingual learners and students at higher ELP levels showed notable increases.

Presenters said FCPS has changed its approach to reach these outcomes by revising the K–7 math curriculum to improve coherence and complexity, piloting new secondary materials, and encouraging enrollment by families with clearer outreach about the option to take Algebra I in eighth grade. The division also described a Multischool Algebra Access improvement community (AANEC) that uses improvement-science methods; participating cohorts reported movement from 56% enrollment to 70% enrollment in Algebra I by eighth grade across the network.

“Overall, 95 percent of students who finished Algebra I by eighth grade last year earned at least a C‑minus in the course,” said Dr. Salvador Ponce, chief of schools, as staff argued that enrollment and access barriers were a central lever. Staff described supports for students who accelerate into higher course sequences (gap materials, math space and skills check‑in, Advantage Math Recovery for targeted numeracy instruction) and a pilot at one middle school offering Algebra I materials and assessment in Spanish to support multilingual learners.

Board members asked for further disaggregation — for example, by pyramid and by whether sixth‑grade students who are already in middle schools fare differently — and asked staff to produce middle‑school–level dashboards that show where students are projected vs. where they are placed in the sequence.

Ending: Staff called the algebra gains encouraging but said continuing progress depends on curriculum coherence through K–7, ongoing teacher professional development, expanded common assessments for timely intervention and outreach to families so students who are ready are enrolled.

","Fairfax County Public Schools staff told the School Board that the share of students earning a verified Algebra I credit by the end of eighth grade rose from 51% at baseline to 59% last year, a reported eight-percentage-point gain.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6349389,"FCPS: Third-grade SOL reading up 1 point but division not on track; gaps persist for multilingual and disadvantaged students",636,334000,970000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2238853-3be3e0425ae6004fbb753dafda8e5d40&start=334&end=970","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2238853-3be3e0425ae6004fbb753dafda8e5d40/thumbnail_334000.jpg","/articles/6349389/Virginia/FCPS-Third-grade-SOL-reading-up-1-point-but-division-not-on-track-gaps-persist-for-multilingual-and-disadvantaged-students","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349389-1b5d1291fee380551b77308c69dc0041/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150958&Signature=hyj9A6OogjCNJ2ll2sFjZYDJez8S6y6GxUfxGG0drHWW4gR-XNlJjsh~1Vz0~tdaCH1x~2r2SxEFZIx7C8W79bdAE88E63Tny8l7ycAcvUOptPnGky5LWceB8ywPNGtA-Fb3l1C-M42iZx0osDoclj8uejhmmney9vNqtvPvJdcDyV5XxyEeV58tXY5Zrj~G5OOEaPuK5iR1wx-tD1Jivspk7nXUcmrG7agFZEoeL6t8pMHho9U9Hv5lp7~Sza5ZBM3vt~nITeAENPKUpaGzFfGaOA-CUGr2RzSWA8krV~z4EDXEuv~HFt51wojWVr-waC~Z6-EzVG23ZjB-rWBGyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fairfax County School Board work-session staff reported modest gains but persistent disparities in third-grade reading outcomes, saying last year’s SOL pass rate rose 1 percentage point from the baseline but remained below the division’s annual target.

Why it matters: Third-grade reading is a strategic priority because students move from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” at that grade; proficiency there correlates with later outcomes such as advanced-course persistence and on-time graduation.

Staff said the division’s overall third-grade SOL pass rate increased 1 percentage point from the baseline and that no student group was within five percentage points of the division average, evidence of wide disparities. Presentation slides and staff commentary singled out multilingual learners as having the lowest pass rates and noted that 60 percent of students who did not pass were economically disadvantaged. VAAP participants (students on alternate assessments) showed a decline from baseline in a very small sample (60 students) reported in the full report.

During the presentation, staff described a three-part strategy of universal, school-targeted and student-targeted actions: adoption this year of a common K–6 literacy curriculum (Benchmark Advance), universal screening and progress monitoring (iReady and new state primary-grade screeners), expansion of Project Momentum to support low-growth schools, Lexia Core5 for differentiated practice, and additional summer learning and Title I-funded staffing where needs are large. The division also named a dyslexia specialist and described training for teachers who work with students on adapted curricula.

On the timeline for results, Dr. Sonia Presidio, Chief Academic Officer, told the board the Benchmark Advance adoption is “the first year of implementation” and that the earliest measurable impact on large-scale measures could appear by the end of this school year but that “it’s gonna take more years, before we see results.” She added that transition to a new curriculum can initially show an “implementation dip” before improvement.

Board members pressed for more near-term indicators that staff are tracking in real time; staff said they have expanded curriculum-based common assessments and an internal dashboard (in addition to statewide SOL reporting) so schools can act on assessment data during the year. Dr. Presidio and colleagues said I‑Ready midyear benchmarks already show 4–5 percentage point growth in the share of third graders on track to pass the SOL, a signal they described as promising but preliminary.

What staff emphasized as immediate next steps were (1) continuing implementation of the Benchmark Advance curriculum and related professional development, (2) using universal screeners and common assessments to identify students for individualized reading plans and 2½ hours per week of additional intervention where needed, (3) targeted supports for multilingual learners including Benchmark Express (an English-language development resource aligned to the core literacy curriculum) and Project GLAAD strategies, (4) supports for students with disabilities including dyslexia advisors and training for staff who adapt the curriculum, and (5) continued monitoring by the reading-by-third-grade goal innovation team.

Board members asked staff for additional reports on intersectional subgroup numbers (for example Hispanic students who are not multilingual learners) and for more explicit, public-facing dashboards that show near-term indicators staff are watching.

Ending note: Staff stressed that last year’s SOL data reflect assessment events that occurred before many of this year’s literacy changes were in place; they said more comprehensive, multi-year evidence will be needed to judge the full effect of the new curriculum and supports.

","Fairfax County School Board work-session staff reported modest gains but persistent disparities in third-grade reading outcomes, saying last year’s SOL pass rate rose 1 percentage point from the baseline but remained below the division’s annual target.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6349379,"85% of FCPS seniors completed advanced coursework; multilingual learners saw biggest gains but gaps persist",781,5097000,5878000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2238853-3be3e0425ae6004fbb753dafda8e5d40&start=5097&end=5878","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2238853-3be3e0425ae6004fbb753dafda8e5d40/thumbnail_5097000.jpg","/articles/6349379/Virginia/85-of-FCPS-seniors-completed-advanced-coursework-multilingual-learners-saw-biggest-gains-but-gaps-persist","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6349379-dbaf720a54a3f75c2f59cad11caf791e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150958&Signature=R7BL08NyRp6GoXLay~IC~KGxBG4hvC0C8PGhE9Y1TWT7AUjuuhlAGG5XG~OKzAOBe3783rhQeuuaWHd5kMgSdq8EH6vbpWusAor8dhlUY6qoXF2jkXSxbqyGvV03WedUiQJ1WlaHeq9wUojSPcY3yVDbjpFYHcGx9wTTHnqcJHIuCJ8LmgduYDAUPoGNjpy8wMnxPUr8TRWVDhcC1FT0xWXhymmuPe7bDsDloUqIhX9ngbpLBqD3sF2gyixrYfuFJdGP97EmdPNQjM29M~0NNzjNVCTx5AYGXRBerKy9ZHowOFyPQ6kToAgxWmgfmdep1gtgd6lDrb9NT2QWuyCc2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fairfax County Public Schools reported that 85% of the most recent senior cohort completed at least one advanced course before graduation — a one‑point increase from the baseline — and that multilingual learners showed the largest percentage-point growth among student groups.

Why it matters: Successful completion of advanced high‑school coursework (AP, IB, dual enrollment or approved Career and Technical Education sequences) is associated with higher on‑time graduation, college enrollment and longer-term earnings.

Key numbers and comparisons from staff slides: 85% of seniors completed an advanced course (up from 84% baseline); AP exam pass rates for FCPS test-takers were 73% compared with 65% statewide and 60% nationally (most recent national comparison year shown in the slides). There were just over 4,900 CTE completers in FCPS last year (about 11% of the statewide total cited in the presentation).

Staff described a set of universal and targeted actions to widen participation and completion: development of an honors‑instruction framework, expanded access to dual enrollment (including flexible options to begin AP in ninth grade), expansion of AVID programming (elementary, middle and high school seats increased), changes to ESOL sequencing that eased access for multilingual learners, and the ABLE pilot that uses course‑taking patterns to identify students with the potential to take more rigorous schedules.

Noelle Neal, the presentation lead, noted that multilingual learners made the most growth (up seven percentage points) in advanced‑course completion compared with the baseline, and staff said the ESOL sequencing changes and targeted supports contributed to that progress. The division also described a project team focused on twice‑exceptional (2e) learners to improve identification and tracking so students with concurrent exceptionalities gain access to advanced coursework.

Board members pressed for clearer, school‑level and counselor‑level data and for better family‑facing communications about options. Staff said the ABLE pilot provides school teams with schedule‑level analytics and that the division plans to bring more schools into that work to drive advising and scheduling choices.

Ending: Staff characterized last year’s results as progress toward 2030 targets but said that additional, sustained effort on advising, course availability and family outreach will be required to reach long‑term goals and close remaining gaps.

","Staff told the board 85% of last year’s senior cohort completed at least one advanced course before graduation (AP, IB, dual enrollment or a 1.08‑weighted course), up slightly from baseline. FCPS reported higher AP exam pass rates than state and national averages and outlined strategies to expand access — AVID expansion, honors framework, dual‑en","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

FCPS proposes $4.0 billion FY26 budget; seeks $268 million county increase largely to fund a 7% pay raise and special‑education growth

FCPS: Verified Algebra I credits by eighth grade rise 8 points to 59%; staff point to enrollment outreach and K–7 coherence

FCPS: Third-grade SOL reading up 1 point but division not on track; gaps persist for multilingual and disadvantaged students

85% of FCPS seniors completed advanced coursework; multilingual learners saw biggest gains but gaps persist