Alexandria Schools Budget OK'd Before City Budget Process Begins

ALEXANDRIA, VA — The annual combined funds budget for Alexandria City Public Schools was approved by the School Board Thursday night, the first approval milestone in the annual budget process. The budget will largely depend on funds allocated from the City of Alexandria, which funds 72 percent of the ACPS combined funds budget.

The $359.9 million combined fund budget, which is largely made up of the operating budget for ACPS, also includes school nutrition funds as well as grants and special projects. The operating budget makes up $329.4 million of the combined funds, an increase of 4.2 percent from last year’s operating budget.

According to an ACPS statement, priorities in the budget include staff pay, additional English learner instruction positions, literacy for kindergarten to fourth grade, high school math, school security services, athletic programs and facilities.

"The FY 2024 Combined Funds Budget prioritizes our staff, facilities and academic and social-emotional resources for students," said ACPS Chief Financial Officer Dominic Turner in a statement. "This budget positions our school division to retain top teachers and staff and successfully recruit candidates in a competitive job market, as we raise teacher pay and continue to provide high-quality healthcare benefits."

As Alexandria City Public Schools and other school districts grapple with staffing challenges, the budget includes improvements to salaries and benefits to keep ACPS competitive in the Northern Virginia job market. The budget provides an average 2.63 percent step increase for eligible employees, and an additional 3 percent increased market rate adjustment for eligible employees, phased market rate adjustments between 1.25 percent and 4.4 percent for select employee groups. A 3 percent bonus is also provided for eligible employees at the "top of scale" status and step increase for eligible employees on "hold-step" status. A moderate health care benefits increase is allocated for medical, vision and dental benefits costs.

The budget also sets aside funds for attorney and labor negotiation costs as part of the upcoming collective bargaining process with employee groups.

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On the instruction side, the budget adds new English learner positions within the school division, increased funding for Grades K-4 literacy, and funding for and math instruction at Alexandria City High School. Additional student support team positions will also be added, which include school counselors, psychologists and a substance abuse counselor. Additional athletics program funding will support expanding middle school athletics and supports for student athletes.

On the facilities side, the budget includes funding for the opening of the new Douglas MacArthur Elementary School in August 2023 and renovation of the 1703 N. Beauregard St. building, which will be used as a swing space during George Mason Elementary and Cora Kelly School. Preventative maintenance at other ACPS schools for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems is also funded in the budget.

The budget had been proposed by Interim Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt on Jan. 5. There were three work sessions on the budget held by the School Board, as well as a public hearing on Jan. 19.

"As we develop a new budget every year, we appreciate how important it is to listen to many voices and collaborate with the interim superintendent, school division staff and our counterparts in the City of Alexandria," said School Board Chair Meagan Alderton in a statement. "We all work together in this budget process to ensure that our students have excellent teachers and the resources they need to thrive in school and graduate ready for college, careers and life."

The next step in the process is awaiting the city government's budget approval, which includes a funding transfer to ACPS. The city manager's budget proposal will be presented on Feb. 28. Numerous work sessions and public hearings by City Council will follow. Budget approval by City Council is expected on May 3.

After the city budget approval, the interim superintendent will present an adjusted combined funds budget and Capital Improvement program budget on May 4. The School Board's public hearing on the budgets will be May 18, followed by final adoption on June 1.