Fairfax school board reviews early budget communications plan, asks for clearer outreach tools and timing

Fairfax County School Board members spent much of their Sept. 9 work session discussing a draft budget communications plan meant to start outreach earlier in the budget cycle and give the public clearer information about how the division builds and spends its budget.

The discussion, led by Dr. Michelle Reid, superintendent, and staff from the finance and communications teams, focused on ways to reach taxpayers, businesses and other community groups; how to explain technical items such as the Standards of Quality (SOQ) and zero‑based staffing calculations; and what materials the board and staff should use when meeting supervisors and state legislators.

"This communications plan will talk about how the budget is built, how FCPS prepares, compares to other large organizations, and how all of the FCPS community can benefit," said Lisa Youngblood Hall, chief experience and engagement officer, explaining the plan’s goals. "We need to be grounded in an understanding of who we are as an organization, what our budget looks like, how we spend our budget dollars, what are the implications of that."

Beth Visioli, executive director of communications, told the board the earlier start should give staff more time to "ground the conversation, to build up to the point when we're gonna have to make some decisions about the budget." She described an intent to create narrative “chapters” and digital content that move from background explanation to the choices the division might present later in the season.

Board members pressed for practical outreach items. "When you say community feedback, what are you referring to?" asked Board Member James Moon, seeking specifics on who would be engaged and how. Staff pointed to several channels already in use, including PTA engagement and a network of Family Vision Group meetings that include two parents from every school.

Board Member Karen Merritt emphasized who the communications should target. "I believe our audience, our number one audience, are the taxpayers," she said, calling for emphasis on value and cost‑savings. Merritt and other members asked staff for "toolkits"—one‑page takeaways and ready‑made presentations—so board members and civic groups could present a consistent message in neighborhood and county meetings.

Members also asked staff to explain technical exercises more clearly. Board Member James Moon and others discussed "zero‑based" or needs‑based budgeting and whether the plan should show a comparison to the SOQ baseline (the state’s Standards of Quality) to make explicit what the division funds above the minimum state requirements. Lee Burton, chief financial officer, explained that FCPS recalculates staffing by projected enrollment each year rather than rolling prior staffing levels forward.

Several board members urged staff to highlight how budget choices translate to classroom impacts—positions removed at some schools, changes in counselors or elective course sections—and to clarify boundaries where board outreach cannot directly change matters governed by collective bargaining.

No formal budget actions or votes were taken at the meeting; staff characterized the session as discussion and feedback only. "Today is discussion points. There is no decision for today," a staff presenter said when introducing the agenda.

What’s next: staff said they would refine the communications plan and work with the board to create presentation toolkits, social‑media materials and one‑page takeaways for community meetings and the Family Vision Group sessions. Board members asked staff for a clearer rollout calendar and asked to coordinate messaging with the county Board of Supervisors and with the division’s legislative outreach ahead of the formal budget calendar.