ACPS Budget Proposal Includes Staff Pay Increases, Facility Resources

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Interim Superintendent Melanie Kay-Wyatt presented the combined budget proposal for Alexandria City Public Schools for fiscal year 2024 Thursday night to the School Board.

The $359.9 million combined fund budget, which is largely made up of the operating budget for ACPS, as well as school nutrition funds, grants and special projects, is a 4.2 percent increase over last year's budget. As noted in the superintendent's budget presentation, budget priorities include staff pay, resources for the opening of the renovated Douglas MacArthur Elementary School in 2023, social and emotional learning support, K-4 literacy, school security services and more.

"Our budget team worked to ensure the strategic use of ACPS resources so all of our students can succeed," said ACPS Chief Financial Officer Dominic Turner in a statement. "In addition to meeting division needs for the 2023-24 school year, this budget incorporates efficiencies by reducing vacant positions, accounting for attrition savings and eliminating one-time funding from the [Fiscal Year] 2023 Final Budget."

Employee pay and benefits are addressed in the budget as ACPS tries to remain competitive in Northern Virginia for recruitment and retention. The proposed budget calls for an average 2.63 percent step increase for eligible employees, 2.5 percent market rate adjustment for eligible employees and phased market rate adjustments between 1.25 percent and 4.4 percent for select employee groups. A 2 percent bonus for eligible employees on "hold-step" status, and a health care benefits increase is proposed for medical, vision and dental coverage costs. Funding for attorney and labor negotiation costs is also set aside for the upcoming collective bargaining process with employees.

"Staff retention and recruitment is and always will be a priority for our school division," said Kay-Wyatt. "As you know, the staff is the heart of the operations for all that we do, and we must make sure we value our staff as we move forward because they are key to educating our children."

On the instructional side, the proposal would add new English learner positions and increase funding for grades K-4 literacy and Alexandria City High School Math instruction. Additional student support team positions such as school counselors, psychologists and substance abuse counselors are proposed to support student social-emotional needs. More funding is proposed for athletics to support expanding middle school athletics and supports for student athletes.

On the facilities side, the budget would provide resources such as a building engineer and additional Virginia Preschool Initiative classrooms for the new Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, which is expected to open in August 2023 after renovations. Renovations would also begin for the 1703 N. Beauregard St. building, which is planned as a swing space for upcoming George Mason Elementary and Cora Kelly School modernization projects before being turned into a new 600-student school. Kay-Wyatt also proposed more funding for school security officers, HVAC maintenance, plumbing repairs and maintaining new buildings.

The budget accounts for enrollment stabilizing after seeing a decrease in 2022, according to Kay-Wyatt. The student population at ACPS fell from 16,062 in fiscal year 2021 to 15,588 in 2022. Enrollment increased to 17,732 in fiscal year 2023 and is expected to reach pre-pandemic levels at 15,847 in fiscal year 2024.

The School Board's work session on the combined funds budget is scheduled for Jan. 12. A public hearing will be held Jan. 19, and budget adoption is expected Feb. 16.

The final budget will be determined by the city's budget process. The ACPS combined funds budget receives 72 percent of its funding from City of Alexandria government, while state revenue contributes 19 percent and federal revenue 6 percent.

The city's budget process will kick off with City Manager James Parajon's budget proposal presentation on Feb. 28. City Council budget work sessions will begin in March with a tax rate public hearing scheduled for April 15 and adoption expected on May 3.

On May 4, the interim superintendent will present an adjusted combined funds budget and Capital Improvement program budget. The School Board's public hearing on the budgets will be May 18, followed by final adoption on June 1.

See more information about the ACPS budget process here.

At Thursday's meeting the School Board also re-elected Meagan Alderton as chair and Jacinta Greene as vice chair and adopted its code of ethics, standards of conduct, rules of order, by-laws and meeting calendar.