Fairfax County, Va. –– Fairfax County Public Schools has adopted a budget for fiscal year 2012 which includes expanding full day kindergarten to all of Fairfax County.
The $2.2 billion budget also includes a one percent market scale adjustment for all employees and step increased for those eligible, according to a Fairfax County Public Schools release.
While several Fairfax County schools already have full-day kindergarten, the 36 remaining schools where the program was not yet implemented will begin in September, which will include the creation of 152 new positions to support the program.
School Board Chairman Kathy Smith noted “we were pleased to be able to complete the rollout of full-day kindergarten, which is so important in preparing our children to achieve their potential.”
The budget keeps a reserve balance of $60.6 million to address future obligations to the Virginia Retirement System, and also includes $4.3 million to help implement mandated online testing for Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) tests.
The Board also voted to eliminate fees for Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) tests, according to the press release.
The 2012 budget predicts a 2,333 student increase, including a 16.5 percent increase in English for Speakers of Other Languages. The budget also predicts that one in four students will be eligible for the free or reduced priced meal program.
