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In last night’s School board meeting, we had several significant developments on important issues to our community. I’m pleased to share the following latest developments with you.
Boundaries
At last night’s School Board meeting, I was proud to move the motion approving the Superintendent’s recommended boundary adjustments, marking the completion of FCPS’s first comprehensive boundary review in more than 40 years. The motion passed 8-3.
This work is an important step toward aligning school boundaries to balance enrollment, ensure equitable access to programs, and improve operational efficiency across FCPS. From the start, my goal was to keep this process data-driven, transparent, and informed by community feedback, and I am confident we achieved that.
Since the adoption of Policy 8130 in July 2024, FCPS has engaged the community at an unprecedented level, with over 6,000 participants across 48 meetings and tens of thousands of public comments collected. While no process of this scale is perfect, staff worked diligently to incorporate feedback at every stage.
The approved adjustments will reduce existing split feeder patterns and address several attendance islands, impacting about 1,700 students across all school levels. These changes improve consistency for families while strengthening long-term planning.
We will continue working with communities identified for further review, update planning data as populations change, and examine enrollment and program trends moving forward. Regular boundary reviews are a best practice, and I am proud to support this thoughtful process.
You can read the superintendent’s final boundary recommendations here.
Budget
Last night, the Superintendent presented the School Board with the FY 2027 Proposed Budget, a needs-based plan that prioritizes our students and staff while navigating ongoing fiscal challenges. The proposed operating budget totals approximately $4.1 billion, reflecting a 5% increase over the FY 2026 approved budget. This proposal reflects the real costs of operating one of the nation’s largest school divisions, including enrollment pressures, rising benefit costs, and our commitments to the collective bargaining agreement, which ensure fair compensation and working conditions for our educators and staff.
This budget focuses on sustaining excellence and stability; there are no new program expansions, and departments were asked to maximize existing resources. This year’s budget also reflects significant financial pressures, including rising operational costs, economic uncertainty, and continued gaps in state funding that require difficult but responsible choices. As we move through work sessions and public hearings, I look forward to continued community engagement as we work to align our budget with our values and advocate for the resources our schools need to succeed.
You can see a summary of the proposed budget here or the full proposed budget book here.
Committee Corner
Last month, the School Board passed my motion to restructure the Facilities Planning Advisory Committee, which provided community input on capital improvement matters. As part of this restructuring, five community advisory seats were added to the School Board’s Comprehensive Planning and Development Committee, which I also chair.
If you are interested in being appointed to one of the five seats, click here for more information. This role plays a critical role in helping guide FCPS work on capital facilities and planning.
Additionally, as part of my duties on the school board, I have the opportunity to appoint qualified Fairfax County residents to serve on School Board committees. This year, I have vacancies on the following committees (click on a committee name to learn more):
If you are interested in serving on any of these committees and meet the requirements, please reach out to my office with a resume and what committee you are interested in, and we will be in touch with more information.
Sincerely,
Kyle McDaniel
Fairfax County School Board
Member, At-Large
Other Updates
 ❄️ Prepare for Winter Weather
‘Tis the season for winter weather! Watch this video to see how weather closing decisions are made at FCPS.
FCPS’ website is generally the first place to find out about emergency weather closings. Other communication channels will be used as quickly as possible, including email, text, social media, the new FCPS mobile app, and news stations. Learn more about how schedule changes are communicated.
Be sure to plan for the winter season. Update your contact information in SIS ParentVUE, bookmark the FCPS website, and arrange emergency child care if needed.
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