Despite calls for targeted raises for teachers and support staff, the Fairfax County School Board has approved 4% pay raises for all school employees as part of its adopted fiscal year 2025 budget.
The decision, voted on last Thursday (May 23), came after the Virginia General Assembly allocated an additional $35.5 million to Fairfax County Public Schools, allowing Superintendent Michelle Reid to increase employee pay raises from 3% to 4%.
Reid initially proposed a 6% raise but was forced to amend the budget after the Board of Supervisors allocated FCPS roughly $55 million less than requested.
Mount Vernon District Representative Mateo Dunne proposed several budget amendments to use the extra funds to reduce the pay disparity between school administrators and lower-earning employees, arguing that a targeted approach would help retain teachers and support staff.
However, the amendments were ultimately rejected, with most board members expressing concerns that providing different raises to different groups would alienate employees and cause internal division.
“I appreciate the intent behind [the proposed amendments], but when you start to differentiate, it becomes very challenging and you end up pitting people against each other,” At-Large Representative Ryan McElveen said at the board meeting.
Instead of a uniform 4% pay raise, Dunne proposed three alternatives: a 5% targeted increase for teachers and support staff, a two-step salary increment for these groups, or a 3% general raise with an additional 1.45% for teachers and support staff.
Citing frustrations expressed by teachers, Dunne argued that a general pay increase is less equitable because it exacerbates the pay gap between employees, particularly for administrators who already earn above market rates.
“Respectfully, we have a great superintendent, but she’s paid more than the president of the United States,” he said. “We have a great chief of staff who is paid more than the Secretary of Defense. We have great administrative assistants who are paid at the beginning of their career 110% above market…They don’t need to be paid even higher above market.”
According to FCPS staff, the superintendent’s annual income is $430,789, as of 2023, and the chief of staff earns $267,836 per year. The starting salary for an administrative assistant is approximately $46,820.
After Dunne’s first two amendments were rejected, Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson and At-Large Member Ilryong Moon were the only ones to support his proposed 3% raise for all with another 1.45% pay increase for teachers and classroom support staff.
“The first two amendments Mr. Dunne brought up, I wasn’t able to support them because that did not provide a salary increase to certain groups of employees,” Moon said. “But this amendment, as you stated, provides at least a 3% increase for all employees, which was the proposal brought to us by the superintendent two weeks ago.”
All board members agreed that FCPS needs to boost teacher pay. They mainly blamed the state for the substantial pay gap after a study found Virginia underfunds the division by $568.8 million annually.
Even if the school board approved one of Dunne’s proposals, though, none would substantially bridge the pay gap, Providence District Representative and school board chair Karl Frisch said.
“If a teacher who makes $77,000 a year gets an extra 1.45%, I think that’s $29 a paycheck, and that is less valuable to them than an extra point is to somebody at the far lower end of that pay scale,” he said. “So, I can’t in good conscience support that.”
Anderson cast the sole vote against Reid’s amended budget, objecting that it was “too far apart” from what the school board had initially envisioned.
She did, however, express optimism that the Board of Supervisors is potentially considering a meals tax that could boost funding for FCPS.
“I’m hoping those discussions are fruitful and will lead to some of the plans that were discussed back in 2018 with this board regarding the allocation of those potential funds,” Anderson said.
The approved FY 2025 budget, which will take effect on July 1, totals $3.7 billion — a $233.2 million, or 6.6%, increase over the current budget. In addition to the worker pay raises, it includes funding for an additional 1,749 students expected to need meal, special education or language supports, inclusive preschool, green initiatives, and performing and fine arts stipends, among other needs.
