Updated at 6:50 p.m. Nov. 9 with material from Saturday's City Council budget retreat, including council members' skepticism of the proposed 1% sales tax, the staff recommendation against putting it to voters at this time, and Mayor Alyia Gaskins's exchange with School Board Chair Christopher Harris over the city's 2.25% budget guidance to the schools.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Members of the City Council and the School Board agreed Monday to a six-month joint study of what it costs to educate an Alexandria student, intended to give the city's General Assembly delegation hard numbers as Virginia rewrites the formula that decides how much state money the schools get.

The joint subcommittee took no vote on the plan. Members said they were comfortable with it and asked staff to come back with a detailed version.

Legislative Director Fatimah Dandashi, who started Oct. 26, presented the proposal. The Virginia Department of Education is about to commission its own study of a new statewide funding formula, she said — scheduled to run up to 24 months, though legislators leading the effort have said publicly they want recommendations ready for Gov. Abigail Spanberger's next budget.