Jeff Platenberg, Superintendent of the City of Fairfax Schools, presented his $76.9 million FY 2026 budget to the City of Fairfax School Board at the regular school board meeting on Monday, January 13, 2025. To see Mr. Platenberg’s presentation, please go to the City of Fairfax meeting page and watch the January 13, 2025 School Board Regular Meeting.
The main drivers of the Fairfax city school budget are city student average daily membership (ADM) projections and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) operating costs. The City of Fairfax pays FCPS a tuition fee based on the number of city students in addition to a percentage of the FCPS operating costs. The largest section of the budget will be a $71.4 million payment for the projected 2992 city students to FCPS through the School Services Agreement. The City of Fairfax also pays 1.64 percent of the FCPS operating costs. In 2024, the operating costs for FCPS was approximately $3.72 billion.
The budget includes in $280,000 supplemental instructional funds to the City schools that assist with student supports such summer programing, transition programs for students attending a new school, and professional development for city school staff.
The City of Fairfax School Board will vote on the proposed budget at their regular school board meeting on Monday, February 3, 2025 at their regular school board meeting. To provide comment or ask questions about the budget, please contact the school board at [email protected] or call 703-293-7131.
Important Future Dates:
• January 23, 2025 – FCPS FY 2026 Superintendent Proposed Budget
• February 3, 2025 – City of Fairfax School Board votes to adopt FY 2026 budget
• March 4, 2025 – Budget presentation to Mayor and City Council