Arlington School Board Adopts FY 2026 Budget

Prioritizes Staff Compensation, Retaining High-Quality Staff and Maintaining Core Services for Student Success and Well-Being

At its May 15 meeting, the Arlington School Board adopted the Fiscal Year 2026 budget totaling $844.6 million. The adopted FY26 budget mirrors the proposed budget with a few amendments, which are highlighted below.

The FY26 budget includes a continued focus on compensation, staffing adjustments, safety, and operational efficiency. Despite these investments, APS began this budget cycle with a $41.4 million deficit and initially identified $22.36 million in reductions to help close the gap, primarily through cuts to Central Office positions and operational efficiencies.

Reflecting the school division’s commitment to staff compensation, the FY26 Budget includes a salary increase of 4.26% (combined STEP and COLA) on average for all staff.

“This budget required difficult decisions, as we worked to close a significant gap while maintaining core school-based resources,” said Mary Kadera, School Board Chair. “We placed a strong emphasis on community engagement throughout the budget process, including an expanded number of open public meetings that started last summer. We are tremendously grateful for the feedback from staff, families, and students, which helped shape our final budget. We also took away a lot of valuable lessons learned to improve future processes and communication around possible reductions, which we will work to apply in future budget cycles.”

The adopted FY 2026 School Board budget reflects continued investment in instructional supports, student services, and equity-focused programs. The approved budget reinstates funding for initiatives such as:

• $1.1 million to retain full-time Library Aides

• $513,000 for the Integration Station (funded from reserves)

• $235,000 for Communities in Schools (funded from reserves)

“We appreciate the input and involvement of our community to help shape a final budget that supports every student by name, strength, and need,” said Dr. Francisco Durán, Superintendent. “We are committed to investing in our staff, because their dedication and expertise are critical to student success. The FY 2026 budget reflects our priority to maintain high standards of education and equity within our schools.”

The FY 2026 budget requires an ongoing County transfer of $647.4 million, a beginning balance of $4 million, and $16.4 million in reserves.

View the final budget presentation.

For more details on the adopted budget and APS priorities, visit: www.apsva.us