Fairfax County supervisors are not sold on a staff proposal to revamp the Middle School After-School (MSAS) program, which would impose a new fee on parents of participants to offset taxpayer costs.
Though expressing support for the effort’s intent, the elected officials raised questions about its relative effectiveness, and why it attracts many more students at some schools than at others.
“Are there any other ways to be more efficient, to reduce the costs?” Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay asked during an Oct. 7 meeting of the board’s Health and Human Services committee.
At the meeting, staff from the Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) and Fairfax County Public Schools rolled out their plan to address concerns expressed about the program and the costs involved.
Jointly funded by the school system and county government at a current cost of about $10.2 million annually, the MSAS program serves all county middle and secondary schools. More than 23,800 students utilized the program free of charge during the 2023-2024 school year.
In his fiscal year 2026 budget proposal, County Executive Bryan Hill recommended eliminating the county’s $3.9 million contribution that goes toward paying staff and covering supply costs for the program.
Supervisors ultimately restored the funding for the new year — on the condition that county and FCPS staff collaborate on a plan to recoup future expenses through fees.
McKay said that to move forward, he needs to be convinced “the program is actually doing what was intended” when it was first conceived.
The Middle School After-School program began several decades ago with two main thrusts: to provide homework assistance and allow middle school students to participate in after-school athletics. It has since grown to include a host of other enrichment opportunities, from homework clubs and Model United Nations to cooking and robotics programs. Offerings vary from school to school.
The county government has provided financial support since at least the early 2000s, NCS previously told FFXnow. Boosting a program that was previously limited to three days a week at select schools, it expanded funding to support five days of programming at every school in fiscal year 2007, in part to give students an alternative amid concerns about gang activity.
Between 70% and 80% of Fairfax’s middle school students participate in the program at least occasionally, but only about 19% who do attend participate more than 30 days per year. More than half of those participating take part for fewer than 10 days per school year.
The county government’s share of the funding generally pays for program coordinators at each school. The school system picks up most other costs, including providing bus service for participating students.
Mark Emery, who serves as administrator of the program and has been with it since its inception, reminded supervisors of the positive impacts of the program on regular attendees.
Academic challenges, behavioral problems and drug use, “all that drops like a rock” for students who spend more than 30 days a year in the after-school initiative, Emery said.
“The program is a success. It is meeting the original goals,” he said. “I will stack the program up against any after-school program in the county.”
Supervisors acknowledged the program’s value.
“It’s a critical part of what middle schools need to be offering,” said Mount Vernon District Supervisor Dan Stock, who previously represented that district on the Fairfax County School Board.
But Storck and others questioned why the county government is carving funds out of its own budget to augment school funding, rather than letting FCPS decide if the program as it exists is worth the overall cost.
“It doesn’t require county support,” Storck said.
Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith, another former school board member, had similar thoughts.
“We are at a time in our budgeting that we have to look critically at everything we do,” she said.
The supervisors wanted more data provided about attendance at individual schools.
“There’s a lot of information we don’t have here,” Smith said during the presentation.
Nearly lost in the shuffle of concerns raised by supervisors was the staff proposal itself.
The plan calls for charging families $300 for each student participating in future years, giving them unlimited access to after-school opportunities at their school. County staff estimate the fees would generate revenue of $1.1 million annually, which would offset some spending on the program.
Students whose families receive free- or reduced-price meals would not be charged, nor would families of students who only use the program for academic support, under the draft proposal.
Staff acknowledged that a $300 fee would likely significantly cut participation. Deputy County Executive Christopher Leonard said “a full awareness campaign” could help highlight the program’s benefits.
Leonard said consistency across schools in offerings is needed, up to a point.
“You try to get your core programs consistent,” then fill in with school-specific specialty offerings, he said.
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik, who chairs the Health and Human Services Committee, said she wants to find ways to address the financial concerns and move the effort forward.
“We care about this program. We want to ensure it continues to evolve,” she said.
The committee’s next meeting is slated for January. By that point, county and FCPS staff should each be deep into development of proposed budget packages for the upcoming fiscal year 2027.
Image via FCPS/YouTube
