Arlington School Budget Misaligned

Arlington County elected officials are ignoring the concerns of those who elected them and pushing

through their agendas without input from voters, in particular, regarding the
Arlington Public Schools and its FY2026 budget.

On March 13, the APS superintendent and school board presented their proposed budget for next year. Included in it were many cuts to programs that directly benefit student –
including Integration Station, a preschool for special needs children. The
budget also cuts numerous staff who are face-to-face with students, including
library assistants who keep school libraries open to students through the
school day.

Very little reductions were made to the central office, however – from a staff of more than 800
full-time employees, it appears only 23.5 central staff were cut.

Despite the fact that APS is facing a huge budget deficit, the superintendent and school board have
proposed a budget for 2026 that is $845.4 million—more than $19 million higher
than the budget for the current school year.

This continuous increased spending – despite a growing deficit – is part of a trend by APS under the
current superintendent – in FY2018, the budget under the former superintendent
was $659 million. The student population since 2018, however, has only grown by
approximately 500 students.

So where is the money going? APS teachers and staff have seen minimal pay increases in recent years. Class sizes have gotten bigger, and I am told many school buildings are in
disrepair.

One answer lies in the superintendent’s growing “cabinet” (as he calls his staff at the central
office).

Since 2018, the number of full-time employees at the Syphax Building on Washington Boulevard has gone from 632 to 855. The superintendent’s office alone has gone from six employees
to 31. The operating budget for just the central office has increased from $95
million in FY2018 to $146 million in FY 2024. The Syphax Building (which is
reported to have a private gym and health clinic for employees) costs more than
$5 million a year for its lease and parking agreements.

The superintendent has also given the central office staff almost four weeks of extra paid leave in
addition to the standard leave they accrue each month. That means the central
office staff – who now get the two-week school winter break, one-week school
spring break, and Thanksgiving school break off with paid – are being paid for
11, not 12, months of work. Of note, schoolteachers and staff are not paid for
these school holidays.

Making this spending trend even more concerning is that the elected school board is
not reigning it in. Despite the constant concern expressed by the parents at
Integration Station and by parents who are concerned about school libraries
being closed, the school board worked hand-in-hand with the superintendent to
develop this budget. This is a first – in the past, the superintendent
presented the budget to the school board who then spent weeks getting feedback
from constituents.

This time, there will be only one public hearing and only a handful of open office
hours by school board members to talk face-to-face with the community. Board
members also are rarely in the school buildings to see for themselves the needs
of school staff.

This probably explains why the audit firm selected to identify things to cut
ignorantly labeled library assistants, who are face-to-face with kids every
day, “nice to have,” while virtually ignoring administrative
personnel.

There is a lot going on in the world, but APS parents should pay attention to what is
happening at APS to ensure that the school system’s constant increased spending
is going to their children through the staff and programs that actually benefit
them.

As the saying goes, “Cut Stuff, not Staff.” Or if you must cut staff, at least know
who is merely “nice to have” and who is actually teaching, reading to, and
caring for your kids.