Alexandria Pushes for Higher State School Funding

The city and Alexandria City Public Schools are launching a six-month collaboration to seek increased state funding for local education.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Administration

Alexandria Pushes for Higher State School Funding

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Should Virginia change its school funding formula to send more state money to localities like Alexandria?

Alexandria city government and Alexandria City Public Schools have launched a six-month collaboration to develop recommendations for increased state funding. The Virginia Department of Education will simultaneously begin a two-year study on revamping the state's K-12 school funding formula.

Why it matters

The state's Local Composite Index assumes Alexandria can fund roughly 80% of school costs locally, and the city and school system are contending with multimillion-dollar shortfalls as they start Fiscal Year 2028 budget talks. Officials say the formula has left the city footing most of its education funding.

Alexandria holds the state's maximum Local Composite Index of 0.8000, and ACPS received $3,731 per student in state funding in FY 2025 compared with a statewide average of $6,978. The state's future formula revisions remain unresolved as the study has not begun.

The players

Virginia Department of Education

The state agency overseeing public K-12 education in Virginia, which is conducting the two-year study on revamping the school funding formula.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger

The governor of Virginia, who plans to incorporate the study's recommendations into her biennial budget presentation in December 2027.

Alexandria City Public Schools

The public school system serving Alexandria, Virginia, which is partnering with the city government to seek increased state funding.

Fatimah Dandashi

Alexandria's legislative director, who said the city and ACPS will draft a letter to the General Assembly members outlining their shared funding intent.

The details

The city and ACPS will draft a letter to Alexandria's General Assembly members outlining their intent to work toward a shared funding baseline. The collaboration will establish a shared understanding of education costs, funding responsibilities and priorities, with findings presented to council and the delegation around day 180.

FY 2025: ACPS received the lowest state per-student school funding in Virginia.
January 2026: Then-School Board members published a blog post on the funding formula.
Days 1-45: City and ACPS establish a shared funding baseline.
January 2027: The Virginia Department of Education begins its study after selecting a consultant.
Day 180: City and ACPS present findings to council and the General Assembly delegation.

Season Trajectory

Virginia's Local Composite Index formula assigns high-wealth localities like Alexandria the responsibility for roughly 80% of school costs, a structure now being questioned as the state reviews its K-12 funding model. The two-year VDOE study will determine whether that local-burden principle survives the revision.

Alexandria families and school staff should watch for the city-school letter to state lawmakers and upcoming budget discussions, since any funding shift could affect local school resources. The statewide formula study may also reshape how much of education funding local taxpayers bear in coming years.

The takeaway

Alexandria's effort shows how a locality's wealth can translate into a heavier share of school costs under state formulas, and the outcome of the state study may determine whether that arrangement changes for communities like it.

What happens next

The city and ACPS will present findings to council and the General Assembly delegation around day 180, and the VDOE study is expected to begin in January 2027 after a consultant is selected.