Board directs county to cover full PRCS camp tuition for eligible families for FY26 using state grant

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted on March 13 to direct staff to change PRCS CARES guidance to cover the full cost of tuition for children eligible under PRCS CARES Option 1, using available child-care stabilization grant funding for fiscal year 2026. Supervisor Phyllis J. Glass made the motion; Supervisor Matthew Sainz seconded it. The board approved the measure with a tally the clerk recorded as seven yes, zero no, and two abstentions.

The change applies to children attending CASA, YAZ and PRCS summer camps who meet Option 1 eligibility — a category supervisors and staff described as including families who receive free or reduced-price school lunches and other income-qualified benefits. Supervisor Glass said covering 100% of fees would make summer care “much easier, much more attainable” for families she described as financially stressed and for students experiencing housing instability.

Why it matters: County staff told the board the initiative would use existing federal grant funding administered through the Virginia Department of Education (the Child Care Stabilization Grant) and therefore carries no immediate local tax impact. County staff estimated that, at current participation levels, the $2,700,000 of grant dollars on hand would take roughly six years to exhaust. The board included language directing staff to return to the Finance, Government Operations, and Economic Development Committee during the FY27 budget-development process with options for long-term funding beyond the grant.

County staff and supervisors clarified implementation timing and scope. Staff said fee changes and registration updates would be rolled out to coincide with the next school-year registration cycle so that the assistance takes effect with the new school year rather than immediately midyear. School-transportation questions raised during debate were answered by staff and the schools: transportation support for McKinney‑Vento students could be addressed through current school transportation resources; staff said if grant dollars cover full tuition, some school transportation funds previously used to subsidize tuition could be redirected to transportation for eligible students.

Supervisor Glass and several colleagues emphasized program capacity and the need for follow-up. Supervisors urged staff to return with enrollment and capacity estimates so the board can assess how quickly the grant funding would be consumed if participation rises. Staff told the board they are planning capacity expansions for CASA and that additional staffing requests are part of ongoing budget work.

The board recorded the motion as directing staff to implement 100% tuition coverage for qualifying PRCS programs in FY26 using the Child Care Stabilization Grant and to return with long-term funding options for FY27 budget deliberations.