​$12.6M Increase For Fairfax City Schools In FY2026 Budget Proposal

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — An increase of $300 million in operating expenses for Fairfax County Public Schools caused a $12.6 million increase in the City of Fairfax Schools’ allocation included in the city’s advertised fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.

“Our budget indicates an additional funding allocation of $12.6 million based on the schools tuition contract, making an atypical increase over the past decade,” School Board Chair Carolyn Pitches said during the Fairfax City Council’s March 25 meeting. “Adjustments have typically varied only by $1.5 million and sometimes in the city's favor.”

On Feb. 27, City Manager Bryan Foster presented his proposed fiscal year 2026 plan to the city council. That proposal included $71.4 million for the city school board’s tuition contract with Fairfax County Public Schools, as well a $3 million allocation to schools to begin a school bond program. The tuition the city pays FCPS accounts for 90 percent of the city schools’ budget.

“We represent 1.7 percent of the total FCPS student population, so we pay 1.7 percent of their operating costs,” Pitches said. “The city's average daily membership has grown by 161 students over the past two years, contributing $3.2 million to the overall increase.”

Between 20 and 40 new students are added to city schools in an average year. A portion of that increase is due to the new housing developments in the city, according to Pitches.

“These new developments have added a total of 471 new students since 2015 — 127 students just in school year 2024-25,” she said. “We have the perfect storm, significant increases in the FCPS operating budget, and the city population growing rapidly.”

In spite of these increases, the city's cost per pupil is still well within the regional average.

Per Student Cost By Locality

• Alexandria City: $21,356
• Arlington County: $24,612
• Fairfax County: $19,975
• Fairfax City: $20,108
• Falls Church City: $23,735

“FCPS pays the city a classroom rental fee for the use of our school buildings by their students,” Pitches said. “The mayor, key staff members and I are scheduled to meet with senior FCPS leaders to discuss the recent atypical increases to the school's tuition bill and to brainstorm potential solutions that can be mutually beneficial.”

Pitches acknowledged that there was some interest in the city possibly operating its own school system.

“It's important to note that termination of the contract requires action by both the council and the school board,” she said. “By contract, it would not take effect for three years after notification. During those three years, we would continue to pay tuition, while being tasked with building a complete school division from scratch. We would have to hire teachers, administrators, custodial food service and support staff, purchase and maintain buses, hire and train drivers, secure licensing, insurance and operational systems.”

In addition to those extra expenses, the city would lose access to some educational offerings and infrastructure.

Related: Higher Advertised Real Estate Tax Rate Adopted By Fairfax City Council

“We do not have the student capacity to support all programming, such as certain special education services, access to 40 AP courses and the IB program, language immersion programs, elementary foreign language, some middle school and high school elective courses, eight high school world languages, eight academy programs, competitive athletics and a wide range of extracurricular offerings.”

Before the city decided to pursue self-management of its school system, Pitches recommended the city council hire an independent consultant to assess the full financial impact on students and taxpayers.

April 2 Budget Town Hall At Sherwood Center

City of Fairfax residents can learn more about the proposed increase to the real estate tax rate or provide feedback. City officials will be available from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday during a town hall at the Sherwood Center, which is located at 3740 Blenheim Blvd.

At its March 3 meeting, the Fairfax City Council voted to adopt an advertised real estate tax rate of $1.150 for every $100 of assessed value. The advertised rate is the highest rate the council can adopt, when it votes on May 6 on the fiscal year 2026. The rate can’t be set any higher, but the council can adopt a lower rate when it approves the final budget.

The advertised rate the council adopted was $0.025 higher than the $1.125 rate acting City Manager Bryan Foster recommended in his proposed fiscal year 2026 plan, which he submitted to the council on Feb. 27.

Foster’s suggested rate was already a $0.095 increase to the current real estate tax rate of $1.030. The advertised rate of $1.150 adopted by the council was a $0.120 increase from the current tax rate

FY2026 advertised budget proposal (adopted: 3/11/2025)

• Real Estate Tax rate = $1.150 ($0.120 increase).
• Meals tax rate = 6 percent (increase from 4 percent; first increase in 21 years).
• $71,427,547 for the City School Board’s tuition contract with Fairfax County Public Schools.
• $3 million allocation to schools to begin school bond program.
• 6 percent rate increase for both the Wastewater and Stormwater Utilities.
• Fully fund 130 Capital Improvement Program projects = $105.1 million for FY2026 and forecasting $618.3 million for FY2026-30. Project categories include:
• Recreation $10.3 million
• Transportation $30.6 million
• Wastewater $11.8 million
• General Government Projects $24.5 million
• 3.5 percent merit increase for eligible general pay scale employees
• Annual step increase for public safety personnel (police and fire).

The budget town hall is scheduled for Wednesday, April 2, 4-8 p.m., at the Stacy C. Sherwood Center, 740 Blenheim Blvd. in Fairfax.

FY26 Budget Review Schedule

• April 1: Fairfax City Council Work session
• April 2: Budget Town Hall meeting, 4-7 p.m., Sherwood Center
• April 8: Public hearing, work session, introduction of proposed C&I, wastewater, stormwater utility, and Old Town Service District rates
• April 22: Public hearing for proposed real estate tax rate, C&I, wastewater, stormwater utility, and Old Town Service District rates; introduction of the FY 2026 proposed budget appropriations; FY 2025 quarterly financial review; work session
• May 6: Public hearing on proposed FY 2026 budget appropriations; budget adoption