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.

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.