Strategy and Accountability

A highlight of things the S&A Committee did for School Year 2025-2026 as well as what it will focus on in SY26-27. You can find prior updates from the Committee under its category in the Blog tab.

Tuesday's add/delete session left many in our community frustrated and confused — we were too. All nine members of the School Board signed this explanation of why compensation proposals were withdrawn, what's in the ACPS budget being adopted Thursday, and what it means for staff pay.

A walkthrough of the FY27 ACPS budget — how the funding gap emerged, what's in the Superintendent's adjusted budget, and how to stay engaged before the June 11 adoption.

04.23.26 Strategy and Accountability (S&A) Update

You may have heard that Alexandria City Public Schools has designated April 21 as a non-school day for students. I want to take a few minutes to explain that decision directly — what went into it, why this particular election is different from others we have navigated before, and why the School Board believes this is the right call even as we remain deeply committed to keeping students in classrooms.

04.09.26 Strategy and Accountability Committee Update

The Alexandria City School Board remains committed to two core responsibilities: Negotiating in good faith with our employees and being transparent with our community and City partners about the financial impact of those decisions.

A quick explainer on what the Strategy and Accountability Committee is and does

03.26.26 Strategy and Accountability Update

March 27, 2026 letter from Dr. Michelle Rief to Council on the collective bargaining units in ACPS

Using five years of budget data spanning FY 2023 through the proposed FY 2027 budget, I'll walk you through what's actually driving our spending and staffing changes. The findings may surprise you.

This post is part of an ongoing effort to help our community understand how Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) plans for the future—particularly when it comes to our budget. Since our January post, Funding Our Future: FY27 Budget, part 2, which highlighted the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), we have had several sessions to discuss the ACPS Operating budget, and on February 19th adopted it by unanimous vote.

02.19.26 Strategy and Accountability Committee Update

It is budget talk time for the Alexandria City Public School’s (ACPS) Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Combined Funds (CF) Budget. Join the Alexandria Parent Teacher Association Council (PTAC) and school division for the PTAC Budget Forum. Date: Mon., Feb. 9, 2026

Virginia’s school funding formula plays a major role in class sizes, staffing, and student supports in Alexandria City Public Schools. This explainer breaks down how the Standards of Quality (SOQ) and Local Composite Index work, what the state’s own research found, and why Alexandria funds a significantly larger share of its schools than most Virginia localities.

How does ACPS plan for school buildings when money is tight? This explainer outlines the FY27 budget context, the adopted Capital Improvement Program, and the key decisions and tradeoffs shaping long-term facilities, middle school capacity, and student support.

On December 11, 2025 , School Board Members Kelly Carmichael Booz and Ryan Reyna joined Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley and Councilmember Abdel-Rahman Elnoubi in submitting the letter below to the City Council–School Board Subcommittee. The letter proposes a pilot model for joint City Council–School Board subcommittees, or project groups, and outlines the rationale, structure, and potential focus areas for this approach. December 11, 2025 Mayor Gaskins, Councilmember Chapman, Chair R

Want to see how each middle school option (B, C, and E) would work under the two elementary plans still under consideration? You’re in the right place.

June 3, 2025 By: Members of the Strategy and Accountability Committee: Kelly Carmichael Booz (District B), Christopher Harris (District C), and Ryan Reyna (District A) We’re one step closer. On May 29, the Alexandria City School Board reviewed the comprehensive set of redistricting recommendations, which included maps, policies, and middle school options. We heard presentations from ACPS staff and MGT, had a detailed board discussion, and took an important step by narrowing d

May 27, 2025 By: Members of the Strategy and Accountability Committee: Kelly Carmichael Booz (District B), Christopher Harris (District...