Alexandria schools — the school board, ACPS policies and budget, private and parochial schools, and the students, teachers, and athletics shaping local education.
During a presentation on community partnerships, Tim Beaty said it "burns" him to hear residents argue the central office should be cut — pointing to the staff who secure millions in federal grants.
Nobody's ever happy with a budget. That's not the same as nobody trying.
The longtime ACPS administrator, introduced at Thursday's board meeting, takes over a four-campus school that has gone through repeated leadership turnover.
The board passed a $371 million operating budget and a $282 million capital plan, both 8-1, capping a year defined by a $13 million gap, 56 position cuts and the division's first collective bargaining process.
All nine members signed a Wednesday post defending their handling of a chaotic add/delete session, a move that appears aimed at heading off staff and union frustration before Thursday's adoption.
A last-minute legal warning that the board can't change pay without bargaining narrowed Tuesday's add/delete session to a handful of restorations, with the FY 2027 budget set for adoption Thursday
Board members go into tonight's work session with proposals to restore Afghan Family Liaisons, Communities in Schools funding, and parts of the renegotiated bargaining agreement that were cut from Superintendent Kay-Wyatt's $7.6 million in May adjustments
The ACHS PTSA's year-end newsletter raises concerns about the W. Braddock Road safety study and publishes a letter aimed at a separate, already-decided project
Students earned $2.5 million in merit scholarships and more than 2,180 college acceptance offers
HYA opens engagement sessions with virtual forum Thursday; in-person session set for June 10
Ceremony honors late teen who volunteered at the school and aspired to become a teacher
HYA, a national education search firm, will lead the process; new superintendent expected by October 1
Members back a joint committee and signal interest in going beyond the staggered-terms change the board sought in 2024, with a charter-amendment deadline looming
Special-education and English-learner populations are growing even as overall enrollment falls — and they cost more per student to educate
The share of secondary students who feel safe at school jumped 22 percentage points; just 48% of staff say the division is transparent about decision-making
Add/delete deadline moves from May 18 to May 22, the May 14 work session is canceled, and three board members use a public update to clarify what is — and isn't — changing in classrooms next year. Final adoption remains June 11.
