If FCPS had been kept at the 5-year historical share (FY15-19) of 52.7 percent, that would have resulted in $64 million more in funding in FY25, according to FCPS.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors ended its budget process for FY 2026 on Tuesday, May 13, in a series of four motions introduced by Chairman Jeff McKay. The supervisors approved the motions separately in votes of 9 to 1, thus formally adopting the FY 2026 Budget. They did so in slightly under four minutes, with no discussion. Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) voted “nay” on each motion.
The board set the real property tax rate at $1.1225 per $100 assessed value. “Due to this action, the real property tax rate for calendar year 2025 will be reduced by 0.0025 from the present rate of $ 1.125 per $100 of assessed value,” McKay said.
Having established the real property tax rate of 1.1225 per $100 of assessed value, the board approved the FY 2026 tax rate resolution, adopting tax rates for Fairfax County as detailed in Attachment 2 of the memorandum to the Board dated May 12, 2025. Such broadens the county’s tax base.
The board adopted the proposed ordinance to amend Article 13 of Chapter Four of the Fairfax County Code, effective July 1, 2025. This increased the transient occupancy tax from four to six percent, allocating an additional one percent to the general fund and one percent to promoting tourism. The ordinance made other technical amendments to Article 13. Visit Fairfax will develop a strategy for using the tourism-dedicated revenue, with recommendations expected this fall.
The board approved the FY 2026 appropriation resolution for county agencies and funds the FY 2026 appropriation resolution for school board funds and the FY 2026 fiscal planning resolutions as outlined in attachments three, four, and five of the memorandum to the board dated May 12, 2025.
Finally, the board adopted amendments to the county's code of Fairfax, Chapter 67.1, sanitary sewers and sewage disposal. Article 10, charged by amending and readopting. Section 67.1 -10-2 of the county code as advertised.
McKay thanked staff for their “great work” and hard work on bringing together the budget. “We obviously shared a lot of our thoughts about it last week, but I can't say enough how proud we are of the team that we have that helps us get through this process, “ McKay said.
A deeper look into the county’s transfer of funds to FCPS for school operations.
Fairfax County's General Fund transfer for school operations totals $2.93 billion from the county government’s General Fund. That is 51.4 percent of County Disbursements, up $119 million from the current fiscal year. The county’s FY 2026 transfer to FCPS did not fully fund Superintendent Dr. Michelle C. Reid's proposed 10.4 percent increase to the school operating transfer for the Fiscal Year 2026 school budget. Reid requested on January 23 in her FY 2026 proposed budget an additional $268.3 million over the FY 2025 county transfer for $2.9 billion of the total $4 billion FY 2026 budget.
FCPS News described FCPS's proposed budget on January 24, 2025, as “fiscally responsible” and “maximizing its resources” while focusing on initiatives aligned with the Strategic Plan. Considering cost savings, FCPS would not seek new initiatives in FY 2026.
Fairfax County maintained the advertised FY 2026 transfer to FCPS presented by Bryan Hill in January, and as stated in the marked up budget by supervisors on May 6. Due to Fairfax County's underfunding, teachers will not receive the 7 percent raise that the school district and the teachers’ union, Fairfax Education Association, initially agreed on.
On May 9, Chairman McKay posted on Facebook, at 5:44 p.m., that he was happy to confirm that following the Board of Supervisors' FY2026 Budget Mark Up. “FCPS teachers will now be able to receive a 6 percent raise.” The increase “directly results from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors' commitment to supporting our educators.” “While the Board of Supervisors does not directly approve teacher salaries, we do transfer more than half of our budget to the schools.”
The Fairfax Education Association responded, posting, “Chairman Jeff McKay has the nerve to try and take credit for the very work he undermined. While educators fought tooth and nail for Fairfax County’s first collective bargaining agreement in nearly 50 years, Jeff McKay led the charge to underfund it.” “That raise was earned through union power, collective action, and the unbreakable spirit of educators, not through the actions of a politician who tried to deny us what we deserve.”
Fairfax Code Article 10. Collective Bargaining, Section 3-10-2—Definitions states that upon reaching an agreement, it is “ subject to appropriation of funds by the County Board of Supervisors.”
Reid presented her approved budget to the school board on May 8, with eight significant cuts, so-called "adjustments," in line with the supervisors' May 6 marked-up FY 2026 budget to the school division’s FY 2026 Advertised Budget.
Reid’s most significant adjustments to county revenue expenditures.
Adjustments to Staffing Formula ($33,284,039)—The formula adjustments reduce 275.3 positions, averaging under 1.5 positions per school, and lead to savings of $33.3 million. This reduction in staffing could negatively affect FCPS's ranking, which is currently 5 out of 8 in the region.
Employee Compensation Adjustment ($33,38,313) FCPS has renegotiated the collective bargaining agreement. “Employees represented by the Fairfax Education Union (FEU) will receive a 6.0 percent increase.” Employees not represented by the FEU (salary schedules C and SBA) and those in hourly pay bands will see a 5.0 percent increase, as stated by FCPS, who attribute the change to funding constraints stemming from chronic state underfunding and a county transfer that was lower than requested.
Minimize Classroom Monitors After COVID ($13,203,909), monitors initially addressed pandemic needs and have since offered flexibility to elementary schools to tackle teacher vacancy rates, among other duties.
Reid’s lesser cuts in county revenue expenditures.
Adjustment of Formula for Elementary Special Education Lead Teacher—($9,280,866, 71.0 positions) Monitors initially catered to pandemic requirements and have subsequently offered flexibility to elementary schools in managing teacher vacancy rates, among other responsibilities.
The Central Office Department will face reductions of $7,457,569, and the number of positions remains uncertain.
The formula for Advanced Academic Resources Teachers will be adjusted, resulting in a reduction of $5,854,104 in funding for these positions. The existing allocation of 155.5 Advanced Academic Resource Teacher (AART) positions will be decreased. Title I elementary schools will maintain a staffing level of 1.0 AART. In contrast, all other elementary schools will have a staffing level of 0.5 AART, and middle schools will continue to be staffed with 0.5 AART.
The $2,800,000 decrease in funding for EV buses will not result in job losses; however, it will constrain FCPS’s capacity to achieve the objectives established by the Joint Environmental Task Force.
Decrease nonlocal travel expenses by $728,529.
What is next?
On Tuesday evening, May 13, the Fairfax County School Board will hold a public hearing on its FY 2026 budget, providing community participation opportunities. The hearing will continue on May 14, if needed. The following Tuesday, May 20, the school board conducts a budget work session, and two days later, May 22, the school board formally adopts the approved budget. The fiscal year begins on July 1.