Capital Budget With New School Approved By Alexandria School Board

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Last Thursday, the Alexandria City School Board approved the school district's latest capital budget, which includes converting an office building into a new 600-student school.

The 2024-33 Capital Improvement Program of $461,065,200 sets facility funding priorities for 10 years. The adopted capital budget is $36.7 million less than the last capital budget approved by Alexandria City Council due to the High School Project being funded in the last fiscal year.

"This budget addresses the priorities established by the Alexandria School Board after hearing from students, staff, families and community members," said School Board Chair Meagan Alderton in a statement. "It is critical that we give our students the best opportunity to succeed by providing optimal learning environments and the resources to support their well-being and academic achievement."

While Alexandria City Public Schools carries out capital projects, capital funding for schools is provided by the City of Alexandria government.

One of the facility priorities relates to 1703 N. Beauregard Street, a former office building bought by ACPS. The building is planned to be used as a swing space for elementary school renovations before being converted into a permanent 600-student school. Construction and renovation funding is marked for fiscal year 2030 in the capital budget.

ACPS is also planning full renovation of the fifth and sixth floors of Ferdinand T. Day Elementary to provide a welcome center for ACPS families and improve building use. Ferdinand T. Day Elementary is next to the ACPS 1703 N. Beauregard Street building. Funding for Ferdinand T. Day Elementary renovations is marked for the 2024 fiscal year.

Funding for George Mason Elementary and Cora Kelly School renovations will help ACPS improve capacity. The 1703 N. Beauregard Street building would be used as a swing space for the George Mason Elementary and Cora Kelly School projects. Design funding for George Mason Elementary is scheduled for the 2024 fiscal year, and construction funding is scheduled for the 2025 fiscal year. Design funding for Cora Kelly School is scheduled for the 2027 fiscal year, and construction funding is scheduled for the 2028 fiscal year.

Projects that are already underway to address capacity are the Douglas MacArthur Elementary renovation, expected to be ready for an August 2023 opening, and Minnie Howard high school campus, expected to open for the 2024-2025 school year.

Enrollment projections factor into the facility planning process. ACPS enrollment in the current school year is 15,732, an increase of 255 from the previous school year.

Other items in the capital budget include upgrades to security, technology, playgrounds and more.

"The School Board’s adoption of the FY 2024-2033 CIP Budget provides resources for upgraded technology and needed facility renovations in support of our school division’s goal of achieving educational equity and academic excellence for all students," said Alicia Hart, ACPS chief of facilities and operations, in a statement.

The next update on budgeting will come with the city's budget process, which typically happens between February and May of each year. City Manager James Parajon's budget proposal After City Council, adopts its budget, the School Board gives approval to its final combined funds budget (operating, grant and special projects, and school nutrition) and capital budget.