Skip To Main Content

Objective 5: Optimize Resources

Solar panels are seen on the roof of an ACPS building.


Albemarle County Public Schools prides itself in providing high quality instructional programs at the least possible cost. Continuous business and instructional improvements are considered and implemented on an ongoing basis.

  • The School Board successfully lobbied the Board of Supervisors to conduct a bond referendum in November 2016 for school capital projects to include the Woodbrook ES addition, modernization of nearly 200 classrooms, an addition at Western Albemarle High School for the Environmental Services Academy, and the controlled security entrances for the 4 remaining schools without such entrances. An approved referendum will allow Albemarle County to borrow money at lower interest rates than are available for other types of financing.
  • A number of changes were made to the health insurance program to reduce annual costs. These changes included a dependent audit to ensure participants were eligible, an increase in the annual deductible amount, and removal of spouses who had access to high quality health care through their own employment. These actions resulted in projected annual claims that will be lower than the prior year.
  • The School Board approved moving forward with exploration of using an energy performance contract to install LED lighting in all ACPS classrooms. LED lights are more energy efficient and provide higher quality lighting. The entire cost of this initiative will be funded by energy savings such that neither the operating nor the capital budgets will be impacted.
  • Solar panels are being installed at six of our schools. These panels will provide a sustainable source of energy at a stable price over the next 20 years.
  • Working with the developer, a rezoning application for the Brookhill development includes proffers for a 7 acre elementary school site and a 61 acre high school site. If the rezoning is approved, these properties will be made available to the school system at no cost.
  • An evaluation of the community use program identified a number of changes that were approved by the School Board. These changes will improve the overall program while increasing revenues to cover more of the program costs.