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.

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.

At our first meeting of the school year, the School Board began the FY27 budget conversation. Projections show ACPS will need at least $19.3 million in additional revenue to sustain current services, covering staff pay, healthcare costs, and inflation. Through “Funding Our Future” community sessions, we are breaking down what drives these costs, why it matters, and how families can engage in the process.