ACPS School Board to vote on FY 2027 budget Thursday
Latin program, healthcare costs, financial audit on agenda
The Alexandria City School Board will formally adopt the FY 2027 combined funds budget Thursday evening, following a work session on Tuesday where members signaled support for restoring a Latin teaching position while leaving a healthcare cost shift to employees in place.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the School Board Meeting Room, 1340 Braddock Place.
Budget vote
The $406.5 million budget requests a 3.5% increase in city funding—more than double the 1.5% guidance from City Manager Jim Parajon, who will present his proposed city budget on Feb. 24.
Key items heading to adoption:
Latin program preserved: One itinerant Latin teacher will serve both George Washington and Francis C. Hammond middle schools, funded by eliminating a communications position. The decision followed weeks of advocacy from students, parents, and teachers, including a petition with more than 120 signatures.
Healthcare costs shift to employees: Staff will pay a larger share of healthcare premiums—moving from 80/20 to 75/25 for licensed staff, and 90/10 to 85/15 for support staff. A proposal to maintain current levels failed to reach the six-vote supermajority needed.
Chinese program changes: One teacher will cover both middle schools in a hybrid model.
Afghan liaison positions retained: Two family liaison positions were preserved through superintendent’s adjustments.
Financial audit
The board will receive the FY 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, which received a clean audit opinion from CliftonLarsonAllen LLP.
The report shows federal grant revenue dropped $8.8 million from the prior year as ESSER pandemic relief funding ended. The School Nutrition Fund balance fell to $0.2 million—less than one month of operating reserves, below the three-month minimum required by policy. The Health Benefits Fund net position dropped $4.7 million to $5.7 million.
School safety data
The Office of Safety and Security Services will present incident data from the first two quarters of the 2025-26 school year. The most recent quarterly meeting with Alexandria Police Department on the school resource officer program occurred Feb. 14.
Policy changes
The board will vote on policy revisions including allowing students to self-carry seizure medications, aligning with recent state code changes (HB 2104).
Also on the agenda
Recognition of ACHS Satellite Campus
Closed session on collective bargaining and ongoing litigation
What’s next
Thursday’s vote does not end the budget process. City Manager Jim Parajon will present his proposed FY 2027 budget to City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 24—and the School Board’s request may not be fully funded.
The School Board is asking for a 3.5% increase in city funding. The city’s guidance was 1.5%.
City Council will hold a work session on the ACPS budget on March 4, with public hearings in March and April. The city budget is scheduled for adoption on April 29.
If the city does not fund the full 3.5% request, the School Board will return in May to make additional cuts.
“Whatever we decide this evening, we have to be comfortable with that vote to say that we are going to revisit this,” Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt said Tuesday. “Whether it’s world language or whatever, we are going to have to make really hard decisions around reducing our expenditures.”
How to participate
The deadline to sign up to speak online was noon on Wednesday. Walk-up slots are available between 5:15 and 5:45 p.m. at the meeting room. The meeting will be broadcast on cable channel 71 and streamed via Zoom.