Concerns about state and federal revenue could lead to a delay in the adoption of Arlington Public Schools’ new budget.
Superintendent Francisco Durán said Thursday that he may ask to postpone the planned May 1 approval of the $845 million spending plan to May 15.
The most immediate reason for a delay would be to clarify how much state revenue will be coming to the school system in the coming year. The view at the federal level, meanwhile, is even murkier.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) and the Democratic-majority General Assembly continue to battle over funding for school districts throughout the Commonwealth. In Arlington, about $2.5 million of the state’s contribution to the local budget remains up in the air, school officials say.
Youngkin has until early May to take his final budget amendment actions, then the ball goes back into the legislature’s court.
As a result, “we may need to move our budget adoption,” Durán told School Board members. He encouraged Arlington residents to contact the governor’s office to advocate for the full funding that the legislature proposes.
A delay in budget adoption until May 15 — or even several weeks longer — wouldn’t have a direct impact on APS operations. The budget, a joint undertaking of School Board and superintendent, goes into effect July 1.
While significant, the $2.5 million in question is a relatively small part of the state government’s contribution to APS and is just 0.3% of the school system’s budget.
Overall, state funding represents just under 15% of total APS revenue.
With one eye on Richmond, school leaders also are keeping tabs on federal funding.
“There currently is not any specific information” about potential cutbacks from the federal government, Durán said.
Federal dollars represent less than 3% of the school system’s budget, but that amount is larger than current budgeted reserves. A major cutback in federal funding could force some difficult choices, the superintendent told Board members.
“We will be putting plans in place,” he said. “We may have to look at reductions — doing all that we can to retain core services.”
As events unfold in Richmond and across the Potomac, APS leadership continues to work through its budget process. Board Chair Mary Kadera highlighted progress at the two recent budget work sessions.
“There was some meaty discussion of some very important topics,” she said.
The chair said the current environment is one of “great uncertainty.”
“Really challenging,” she said.
