Dr. Michelle Reid will be sticking around as the superintendent of Virginia’s largest school district for the foreseeable future.
The Fairfax County School Board voted Thursday (June 25) to extend Reid’s contract with Fairfax County Public Schools until 2030. This would replace the four-year contract extension that the school board gave her in November 2024 that would have paid her an annual salary of almost half a million dollars by its conclusion in June 2028.
The new four-year deal will pay her an annual salary of $469,936 in equal monthly installments, and it will last until June 2030, according to the school board’s 10-page agreement.
In the meeting, the school board praised Reid’s leadership and dedication to Fairfax County students.
“From Day 1, she has shown unwavering commitment to our students, our educators and our community, her vision, her tireless work ethic and her amazing dedication has allowed her to navigate complex challenges with brilliant execution and unwavering composure,” said Springfield District Representative Sandy Anderson, who chairs the school board.
“Your willingness to continue this journey with FCPS ensures that our trajectory remains upward and we will continue to define excellence in education,” she continued.
Reid has served as superintendent for FCPS since 2022 in the aftermath of schools returning from closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, she has expanded student athletic programs – including sports programs at middle schools — while creating a new region to meet the needs of students and working to diversify the county’s team of educators, according to her FCPS profile.
“Dr. Reid is the ultimate operational expert. The investment of time and money in core academics, in the reading, in the writing, in the math … that’s so exciting,” Hunter Mill District Representative Melanie Meren said. “This is life-changing work for children and impacting the trajectory of their lives and the literacy work in particular has been so fulfilling to watch.”
According to the contract, Reid can be fired for “sufficient cause” after a hearing. She will have to give FCPS six months’ notice if she leaves during her contract, and if she’s fired without reason, she’s entitled to an equal yearly salary.
Among the tasks facing Reid in the upcoming school year are the opening of a brand-new high school this fall, evolving policies governing the use of technology in the classroom, and ever-rising infrastructure and maintenance costs. In May, she proposed cuts to FCPS’ 2027 budget to solve a $28.9 million shortfall.
