Arlington Superintendent Francisco Durán on Feb. 29 will formally propose his fiscal 2025 budget, kicking off a two-month sprint to eventual adoption by the School Board.
Public hearings on the proposal will be held on March 14 and April 23, and a work session between School Board and County Board members will be held on March 22.
School Board adoption of a fiscal 2025 spending plan is slated for May 9. It goes into effect July 1.
In Virginia, School Boards do not have taxing authority – although many seem to covet it – and in Northern Virginia school districts rely primarily on funding funneled down from the jurisdiction’s governing body to support operations.
That sometimes can create tensions at budget time. In neighboring Fairfax County this year, Superintendent Michelle Reid has proposed a fiscal 2025 budget that seeks nearly $90 million more in funds from the county government beyond the $165 million extra proposed by County Executive Bryan Hill.
In Arlington, budget announcements are done in reverse order – first (on Feb. 24) by County Manager Mark Schwartz and then by Durán.
