Fairfax County School Board Approves Capital Improvement Program, Including New Schools and Renovations to Enhance Learning Spaces and Support Community Needs

The Fairfax County School Board approved the annual update to the FCPS Capital Improvement Program (CIP) at their regular board meeting last night. A CIP is a working budget document that shows timing and costs of improvement to school buildings, such as renovations, additions, and new schools.

Renovating existing facilities is necessary to enhance safety, modernize learning spaces, and boost energy efficiency to elevate educational quality and student well-being. Additionally, constructing new schools addresses the increasing student enrollment in rapidly growing areas of the county. This comprehensive approach ensures every student benefits from a safe, accessible, and innovative learning environment, in alignment with our broader commitment to excellence in education and the FCPS 2023-30 Strategic Plan. 

The CIP includes the construction of two new elementary schools; renovations at 18 elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools; and relocation of modular buildings. These projects are detailed in FCPS’ FY 2026-30 Capital Improvement Program. 

As the ninth largest school district in the nation, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) maintains the square footage of about four Pentagons worth of infrastructure in order to support more than 180,000 students. 

FCPS continually looks for ways to be fiscally responsible by keeping the needs of students, families, and taxpayers top of mind. Unlike some other neighboring states, schools in Virginia mostly rely on bond funding from taxpayers instead of money from the state. FCPS receives the least amount of funding for building and repairs on a per square foot basis compared to other nearby school divisions. Because of this, there is a growing list of repairs that need to be done, which could lead to expensive emergency repairs in the future. The current annual bond of $230M is not sufficient to comply with Policy 8258 to maintain a 20-25 year renovation cycle. FCPS is currently in a 41-year renovation cycle.

“The CIP reflects our commitment to providing our students with the best possible learning environment, both now and in the future,” said Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid. “It will enable us to provide modern, flexible learning spaces that support the academic and extracurricular needs of all our students, while also recognizing that our schools are often the heart of the communities and are a place for neighbors to gather.”

FCPS facilities host 500,000 community events each year. Often, these spaces are offered at no cost to organizations such as:

• Homeowners associations.
• 4H and scouting groups.
• County employee organizations.
• Cultural and civic groups. 

Janice Szymanski, FCPS’ chief of Facilities Services and Capital Programs, emphasized the school division's commitment to improving our school buildings and focusing toward sustainability in the proposed CIP. Syzmanski said, "Our commitment to the community goes beyond simply constructing buildings. We are dedicated to creating buildings that inspire and empower our students, while also minimizing our environmental footprint. The proposed CIP reflects this dedication, integrating Net-Zero Energy practices to ensure a brighter, healthier future for Fairfax County's children.”

Net-Zero Energy refers to the concept of balancing the amount of energy consumed with the amount of energy generated, so that the overall net energy use is zero. This means a building, by using energy such as solar panels or geothermal energy (ground source heat), produces as much energy as it consumes over the course of a year. 

FCPS' new buildings will follow the latest research and best practices for creating safe and effective learning environments for students, showing the district's dedication to offering every student a high-quality education. Information about all capital projects will be posted on project webpages on the FCPS website. 

FCPS capital projects are funded through bond referendums approved by county voters. Learn more about the FY 2026-30 CIP update, current capital projects, and more on the FCPS website.