Superintendent Presents FY 2027 Proposed Budget: Investing in High Quality Staff and Retaining Student Support

Proposed budget totals $855.69 million, with compensation funded first and reductions focused on efficiencies

APS Superintendent Dr. Francisco Durán presented his Proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget to the School Board. The proposed budget totals $855.69 million, a 1.3% increase over FY 2026.

The FY 2027 Proposed Budget is guided by the School Board’s budget direction to align investments to the 2024-30 Strategic Plan goals, prioritize employee compensation and identify cost savings and efficiencies. The budget also reflects the School Board’s direction to minimize the use of general reserve funds for ongoing operating expenses.

“This proposed budget reflects my ongoing commitment to investing in our outstanding staff,” said Dr. Durán. “Our teachers and staff are the heart of our school system—they are the key to advancing student outcomes. During my tenure, employee compensation has been a steady focus, and I am proud that employees have seen an overall increase of nearly 27% in the last five years, which equates to approximately 5.4% annually.”

Key components of the Superintendent’s Proposed FY 2027 Budget include:

• Staff Compensation: An average compensation increase of 4.45% for all staff, decided through Collective Bargaining with our unions.
• Investing in Special Education: Hiring more full-time teachers at four middle schools and one high school to advance inclusion goals for Special Education, provide students with more direct instruction and increase co-teaching models.
• Focusing on Student Well-Being: Strengthening safety and maintaining access to special education services such as occupational therapy, speech, and hearing.

The proposed budget does not address all high priority needs within the school division. APS identified over $18.81 million in needs that remain unfunded in the current budget, including instructional resources, staffing for key programs, and other student supports.

Next Steps
The School Board will review the Superintendent’s Proposed Budget in the coming weeks as part of the FY 2027 budget process. Upcoming milestones include the joint work session with Arlington County on March 24, the School Board’s Proposed Budget presentation on March 26, and the Public Hearing on April 14.

The budget development timeline and additional information are available on the budget webpage. The School Board will adopt the final FY 2027 budget on May 14, 2026. The budget takes effect on July 1, 2026.