Prince William County schools present FY2026 markup with $7M in new school-based investments; board adopts markup

Prince William County Public Schools officials on the evening of the board work session presented a markup to the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget that adds roughly $7 million in school-based investments and 41 full-time equivalent positions, and the School Board voted to accept the markup as presented.

Superintendent Dr. McDade introduced the markup, saying the division had “aligned all of our investments to our continued support of our Vision 2025 strategic plan.” Chief Financial Officer Mr. Youssef told the board that, based on a preliminary reading of the Virginia General Assembly action, “the net additional PWCS resources for all funds amounted to approximately $24,000,000.” He also said the assembly’s package includes elimination of a support cap at $20,000,000 and additional special-education support of $4,000,000, though the governor must sign the budget and county revenue estimates remain pending.

Why it matters: the markup shifts scarce local resources to positions and programs that the board and staff said would be directly school based — including academic coaching and safety staff — and is contingent on final state and county revenue actions.

The board and staff emphasized the school-focused additions. The markup’s principal elements presented by staff include:

- Staffing and academic supports: an additional 41 FTE overall and targeted hires, including two additional science specialists, two elementary math specialists (one per region), five instructional coaches supporting high‑need schools and 13 site-based math coaches at selected schools. Staff characterized these hires as phased, driven by accreditation and staffing availability.

- Extracurricular and academic competition funding: $100,000 set aside so teams advancing to state or national competitions have travel and registration money. Staff also reported $162,250 to fund one FTE to expand extracurricular activities divisionwide.

- Summer courses and science resources: the markup covers student costs for summer virtual courses and summer high‑school accelerated courses (amount in the presentation was not specified in precise terms) and sets $100,000 for science department research projects and supplies.

- Safety and student support: $400,000 allocated to install vape sensors in all high schools beginning next school year; eight additional administrative interns for case-management needs in special education; three added Security Operations Center staff for after-hours events; the addition of six community security officers (CSOs) on top of the existing 12; and a social worker dedicated to students covered under the McKinney‑Vento designation.

- Athletics and operational items: a multi-year compression of a turf practice-field schedule to add artificial turf at remaining high-school practice fields (three in 2026, three in 2027 and two in 2028), and $214,500 to cover referee pay for teams that advance past district competition.

Board discussion and votes

Potomac District board member Mr. Wilk raised a separate, contested change to the capital improvement plan (CIP), asking the board to move Dumfries Elementary’s renovation from the 2029 cycle to fiscal 2027, saying he had heard concerns from his community and local PTO representatives. Wilk asked the board “to support moving Dumfries Elementary from the ’29 renovation renewal year to FY ’27.” After discussion, the motion to reprioritize Dumfries failed (opposition prevailed; the board did not adopt the change).

Later in the meeting, School Board member Mr. Blake moved, “I move that the Prince William County School Board accept the fiscal year 20 26 budget as presented in this evening’s work session and final markup.” The motion was seconded. The board chair called the question; board members who were present raised hands in favor and the chair announced the motion passed with no opposition.

What was not decided or remains contingent

Staff repeatedly noted that some elements of the final budget remain contingent on external revenue actions: the governor must sign the General Assembly budget, and the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) is completing its revenue updates and real-property tax‑rate advertisement (staff noted the county had scheduled advertisement of a 92‑cent tax rate as revenue neutral on March 20 and other taxes to be advertised on March 26, with a county budget recap scheduled April 8). The superintendent and CFO told the board they would return with final adjustments if the state or county actions changed available revenues.

Ending note

Board members who spoke during the markup largely praised the process and supported the additions focused on safety, math and science supports, and increased pay scales for staff. Staff said the board will take a final vote to approve the full FY2026 budget at the board meeting scheduled the next week (March 19, as cited during the session).