NEWS RELEASE
(ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Virginia)—Yesterday evening, Albemarle County Public Schools (ACPS) Superintendent Dr. Matthew Haas presented the division’s 2025-26 Draft Funding Request to the Albemarle County School Board. The request proposes a $288.9 million School Fund operating budget that prioritizes student learning, competitive compensation, and targeted investments in staffing, instructional resources, student support services, and school safety.
“Public education is not an expenditure—it is an investment in the future of our students and our community,” said Dr. Haas. “This funding request reflects our division’s commitment to providing high-quality education, ensuring equitable access to opportunities, and supporting our educators and staff who make learning possible every day.”
Total Budget
The 2025-26 Draft Funding Request represents a $304.2 million total budget, which reflects anticipated revenue from local, state and federal sources:
- Local Revenue – $216.5 million (71% of total budget)
- State Revenue – $75 million (25%)
- Federal Revenue – $11.9 million (4%)
- Use of Fund Balance – $691,000
This total budget includes the School Fund, the division’s main operating budget; Special Revenue Funds, which support self-sustaining programs such as Child Nutrition and Extended Day Enrichment Programs (EDEP); and federal, state and local grant funds.
Special Revenue Funds
Although nearly $12 million in federal funding is included in the total budget, about $11.5 million of these funds are restricted to specific programs, including:
- $4.4 million for the School Lunch Program – Provides free and reduced-price meals to students and helps offset food costs.
- $4.1 million for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Services – Provides partial funding for federally mandated special education services.
- $2 million for Title I Programming – Directly supports reading and math interventions for students with the greatest academic and economic challenges.
Since these funds cannot be used for general operating expenses, ACPS relies on its primary School Fund for core instructional and operational costs.
The School Fund: The Division’s Primary Operating Budget
For 2025-26, the School Fund revenues total $281.1 million, reflecting a 4.4% increase over last year. The majority of funding comes from local revenue (74.5%), with state revenue providing 25.4%.
This budget supports teacher salaries, classroom resources, school operations, and essential services. While federal and state contributions provide some relief, local funding continues to be the primary source of financial support for ACPS.
7.2% Increase in Expenditures
The 2025-26 Draft Funding Request includes $288.9 million in School Fund expenditures, a $19.5 million (7.2%) increase over last year. This increase is primarily driven by:
- $11.3 million in Non-Discretionary Cost Increases – Unavoidable expenses, including inflation, enrollment growth, state-mandated staffing, and a projected 24% increase in health care costs for Plan Year 2026.
- $8.3 million for “Learning for All” Proposals – Investments in compensation increases, instructional improvements, and expanded student support programs.
To help offset these costs, the budget also includes $2.7 million in Service Reductions, including cuts to central office staffing, the elimination of the Foreign Language in Elementary Schools (FLES) program, and reductions in furniture replacement and field experiences. These reductions follow $3.5 million in cuts made in the current 2024-25 school year.
The Draft Funding Request prioritizes investments that align with the division’s Learning for All strategic plan, focusing on instructional excellence, student support, and school safety. Proposed funding includes employee compensation adjustments to help ACPS remain competitive, expanded instructional resources to strengthen literacy and math, and continued support for Scholars Studios to ensure equitable access to real-world learning opportunities. The budget also proposes expanding the Intensive Support Center (ISC) to serve more students with disabilities and enhancing school safety by adding one School Resource Officer (SRO) each at Monticello and Western Albemarle high schools.
$7.8 Million Funding Gap
As required by state code, ACPS presents a needs-based budget, reflecting the funding necessary to sustain and support students, educators and schools. In the face of significant financial pressures, including an estimated $10 million annual loss in state funding due to changes in Virginia’s Local Composite Index, a 54% increase in health care costs over two years, and growing student enrollment, ACPS faces a $7.8 million shortfall, despite strategic investments and cost-saving measures.
Despite this gap, ACPS remains committed to securing the resources needed to provide a high-quality education while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
What’s Next?
The School Board will review the Draft Funding Request in more detail over the coming weeks before ultimately adopting a budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Key Budget Meetings:
- February 27 – School Board Work Session #1 & Public Hearing
- March 6 – School Board Work Session #2
- March 13 – School Board Approval of the Funding Request
Meetings will take place at the County Office Building (401 McIntire Road, Charlottesville) and begin at 6:30 p.m. Community members may attend in person or watch via livestream.
Public Hearing & Community Input:
On February 27, the School Board will hold a public hearing to gather community feedback on the budget. Members of the public who wish to speak must do so in person and can sign up online beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, February 24, via the School Board homepage, or in person at Lane Auditorium starting at 6 p.m. on February 27. Those who prefer to submit written comments may do so via email at schoolboard@k12albemarle.org or by mail to the Albemarle County School Board, 401 McIntire Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902. More information is available on the School Board website.
Community members are encouraged to visit k12albemarle.org/budget to view budget materials and stay up to date on budget development. Comments, questions and suggestions are welcome via email at budget@k12albemarle.org.
CONTACT: Dr. Helen T. Dunn, Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Officer
PHONE: 434-249-8379