ACPS Presents 2026-27 Draft Funding Request

By Albemarle County Public Schools

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. — Following the signing of collective bargaining agreements ratified by the Albemarle Education Association (AEA) and unanimously approved by the Albemarle County School Board at its Feb. 12 meeting, Superintendent Matthew S. Haas presented the school division’s 2026-27 Draft Funding Request. The proposal outlines a balanced $311.3 million operating plan, with projected revenues aligned to anticipated expenditures.

The total anticipated revenue is based on Albemarle County’s established revenue-sharing formula, which allocates 54% of the increase in shared general fund revenues to public schools. The formula is outlined in Albemarle County’s Fiscal Year 2026 Adopted Budget (p. 260) and referenced in the county’s five-year financial plan (p. 56), which identifies funding school operations through the local tax revenue formula as a county goal. This structure provides a framework for predictable funding from year to year.

“The revenue formula has been used for at least 30 years,” Haas said. “We are grateful for the consistency it provides because it allows us to make long-range budget decisions about how best to meet student needs. Not all communities have this type of stability.”

This year, the state is restoring prior reductions in funding for Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS). As a result, state revenues are projected to increase by 16.5%, while local tax revenues are projected to increase by 7.2%, consistent with formula-driven growth tied to local tax assessments. The restored state support reduces the proportion of new local revenue required to support school operations.

Over the past two years, ACPS reduced or eliminated programs and positions, resulting in approximately $10.5 million in savings and a much narrower focus on essential services to improve core curriculum. Haas noted that large portions of the operating budget are non-discretionary or tied to contractual obligations, which are necessary to meet baseline standards. And so, the majority of the budget (94%) supports current operations, including salaries, benefits, required staffing and essential services. 

An additional $11.8 million, or 3.8% of the total budget, would fund compensation increases, benefits and contractual provisions under the newly adopted collective bargaining agreements. Approval of the three-year collective bargaining agreements for licensed staff and education support professionals provides stability and offers a competitive advantage in hiring employees, according to ACPS.

“Thanks to the work of the negotiating teams and the agreement between the AEA and the School Board, we are even better positioned to attract and retain strong employees because we can demonstrate the value we place on providing the compensation and working conditions our employees deserve,” said Dan Redding, Chief Human Resources Officer.

The remaining $6.9 million represents discretionary funding available for allocation by the school board. The superintendent offered recommendations informed by input from advisory committees and leadership groups, the division’s communitywide survey, ongoing school board feedback and conversations with families, students and staff.

The recommended additions to the proposed funding request include $800,000 for new textbooks and high-quality instructional materials; $325,531 to add targeted special education staff; $706,653 for math and data support specialists in high-need schools; and continued implementation support for Year 2 of the Scholars Studios career pathway model.

The superintendent also proposed a one-time transfer of $4.08 million to the School Capital Improvement Program to support major school facility needs.

“School construction and renovation consistently emerge as top community priorities,” Haas said. “These needs cannot be addressed through the operating budget alone. They require long-term planning, dedicated capital funding and deliberate sequencing over multiple years. Transferring operational revenue to the School Capital Improvement Program allows us to advance critical facility projects while preserving operating budget stability.”

The school board will hold a work session on Feb. 19 to discuss expenditures, discretionary funding and proposed investments in greater detail. The county executive will present his recommended budget to the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 25.

On Feb. 26, the school board will hold a public hearing for community members to speak on education priorities. That same evening, the board will hold a second work session to review potential impacts to the school budget based on the county executive’s proposal and consider any changes in response to public comment.

Ultimately, the Board of Supervisors determines how much of the county’s tax revenue is allocated to ACPS, weighing school funding alongside other county programs and services. Community members may sign up to speak at the Board of Supervisors’ public hearing on the county executive’s recommended budget, scheduled for March 4.