The FY 2026 Advertised Budget totals $4.0 billion. Most of it (85.2%) goes to instruction. The budget focuses on competitive compensation, differentiated learning, safety and security, and the continuation of multiyear investments. The main changes from last year's budget include:

• Competitive compensation for all employees with a 7% pay increase, funding for changes in benefits rates, and contract length increases for H scale transportation and food service workers.
• Meeting the changing needs of Fairfax County students, including differentiated support for multilingual learner instruction and students utilizing special education services.
• Enhanced safety and security with additional security cameras, school security vestibules, and expanded employee background checks.
• Continuing multiyear investments/initiatives, including inclusive preschool expansion, fine and performing arts stipends, upgrading HR systems, athletic trainers, and family liaisons.

This fiscal year's budget is an increase of $297.1 million over the FY 2025 Approved Budget.  FCPS is requesting an additional $268.3M, or 10.4%, from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to help sustain FCPS as one of the nation’s premier school divisions.

For more information, you can view our FY 2026 Proposed Budget Highlights or FY 2026 Proposed Budget Book. 

Most of the operating budget comes from the county, primarily through residential real estate property taxes.  Below is a breakdown of where our funding comes from.

• 70.6% County Transfer
• 19.0% State Aid
• 6.3% Sales Tax
• 1.5% City of Fairfax
• 1.2% Federal Aid
• 1.4% Beginning Balances and Other

These figures illustrate that FCPS receives about a quarter of its funding from the Commonwealth of Virginia through state aid and sales tax revenue and a fraction from federal aid. Most of FCPS' funding comes from the county transfer, which is the funding allocated to FCPS by Fairfax County. 

Fiscal Fact

Virginia school divisions receive less funding per student than the 50-state average and the regional average 

(Source: Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) study).

FCPS strives for transparency and takes the responsibility of fiscal stewardship very seriously. Under this proposed budget, FCPS is maximizing its resources while focusing our attention on initiatives that align with the 2023-30 Strategic Plan. The school division has sunsetted programs and no new initiatives will be sought this year.

The needs of Fairfax County students are changing and require more resources than they did in years past. Today’s students need different educational experiences which prepare them for the skills, careers, and futures of tomorrow. That means more science labs, more educators who are qualified to teach advanced courses, and more hands-on STEAM opportunities. 

FCPS families expect — and we provide — more programming and services than ever before. Our budget covers:

• College and career support
• Tutoring
• Devices and technology experts
• Athletic directors
• Emotional, behavioral, mental, and physical health services
• Enhanced safety and security measures
• Healthy and nutritious school breakfast and lunch
• 24/7 online resources
• After-school activities

These services, opportunities, and programs are essential because they enable students to learn and succeed. When they succeed, all of Fairfax County succeeds.

Fiscal Fact

Right now, FCPS teacher salaries lag behind those in neighboring districts. In our FY 2026 budget, we are proposing a 7% increase in compensation, which will likely move FCPS to the 2nd highest starting teacher salary among our neighbors (for teachers with a master's degree). If our salaries are not near the top of the region, we risk losing excellent educators to other districts.

FCPS is one of Virginia's highest performing school districts which helps Fairfax County:

• Attract new residents and businesses
• Maintain a highly-skilled workforce
• Support and retain the next generation of innovators and leaders
• Increase property values
• Foster the economic, civic, social, and physical health of our community

Fiscal Fact

CNBC named Virginia as America's Top State for Business in 2024, "with the nation's best schools and solid infrastructure."

School divisions across the state face continued underfunding by the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

FCPS alone is estimated to be underfunded by $568.7 million year over year based on the nonpartisan Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) study. This equates to approximately $3,100 per student and underscores the need for equitable funding that truly reflects the needs of our community.

Because of this chronic underfunding, FCPS is critically reliant on county funding with less than one third of the budget coming from state, federal, or other sources.

Fiscal Fact

Based on the nonpartisan Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) study, when comparing the national average of how much each state spends per student: 

• Virginia receives 14% less
• Maryland receives 4% more
• Kentucky receives 9% less
• West Virginia receives 11% more

Our budget is needs-based. It's designed to:

• Meet the changing needs of today’s students
• Meet the expectations of our families
• Recognize taxpayer fatigue
• Acknowledge chronic state underfunding

There are many other important initiatives and programs that this budget is unable to fund. Some of these include

• Expanding middle school sports
• Accelerating the maintenance backlog for our facilities
• Lowering class sizes
• Adjusting middle school start times

A great way to support a strong budget for FCPS is to stay engaged in the budget development process. Check our Budget Development Calendar to see important dates and opportunities for you to provide public feedback. Your voice matters!

You can also help by sharing information in your community and on social media.  Visit the FY 2026 Budget Toolkit for infographics, talking points, and fact sheets.  Click here to submit a question about the budget. 

Your investment in our schools is an investment in the entire Fairfax County community – thank you for helping us #InvestInExcellence! 

Fiscal Fact

Our ratio of management staff to total staff is 1.1% while surrounding divisions range from 2-4%. That’s because we have a fiscal responsibility to taxpayers. We believe that as a school system, most of our budget should be spent in the classroom.

FCPS budget documents have received awards from both the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) and the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). 

The Commonwealth of Virginia requires state and local governments to operate with a balanced budget. Many factors unique to school systems can trigger educational cost increases that outpace inflation. For example, because K-12 education is so labor-intensive, increases in labor costs due to rising student enrollment or changes in staffing standards can drastically impact school budgets. Understanding factors like this will help citizens understand the financial challenges that schools confront today as well as the context in which budgeting decisions are made.

Fairfax County Public Schools, like the Fairfax County Government, historically ends each fiscal year with a positive balance. This balance can include carryover for outstanding obligations or undelivered orders, including goods or services that have not been received or performed as of June 30. FCPS does allow schools to carry over unspent funding from certain supply and hourly accounts, encouraging schools to use multiyear planning to meet student needs.

FCPS uses multiple strategies to address budget shortfalls, including conserving resources and reducing spending during the fiscal year, where possible. As a result, the net funding available at year-end is presented to the School Board as an available balance. Recently, this funding has been allocated to the beginning balance for the following year instead of being spent for current year needs.