The Fairfax County School Board has approved Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-26 Capital Improvement Program (CIP).

The Board approved the following amendments:

• To refer to the Fairfax-Oakton Elementary School as Dunn Loring Elementary School going forward;
• To work with the Fairfax City School Board to address the unique capacity needs of Providence Elementary School;
• To direct the Superintendent to conduct a program audit of middle schools with sixth grade to determine if the current grade configuration offers the most efficient use of facilities and/or meets instructional best practices;
•  And to direct the Superintendent to engage the Mason District community to obtain parental perspective on the placement of grade six in middle school.

 
The CIP focuses on capital projects, including new school construction, capacity enhancements, and renovations, reflecting schools for the current School Year (SY) 2020-21 and a five-year requirement of approximately $1.1 billion. FCPS continues to experience uneven growth throughout the division because of changes in population, new development, and net migration. In certain areas, membership exceeds the ability to accommodate students within existing school buildings. This continues to present a capacity challenge and will necessitate the continuation of boundary adjustments to take advantage of available capacity whenever it is practicable to do so.

The FY 2022-26 CIP includes the construction of the McNair Upper Elementary School formerly known as North West County Elementary (funded), the Fairfax/Oakton Area Elementary (funded), the Silver Line Elementary (partially funded), the future Western High School (unfunded), the Route 1 elementary school (partially funded), and four new or repurposed schools (unfunded). It also includes additions at West Potomac, Justice, and Madison high schools and a modular addition, all of which are funded; and renovations at 29 elementary schools, six middle schools, and four high schools, including funded, partially funded, and unfunded projects. Many of these renovation projects will include capacity enhancements.

The changing conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the virtual start to school have impacted several elements that are part of the CIP approach. A five-year projection set has not been produced as the possible future impact of the unique decline in membership for SY 2020-21 will depend on many factors, including the future course of the pandemic and economic conditions. An assessment of facility capacity was not completed, and program capacity utilization was not calculated due to a virtual start to the school year and ongoing planning for a return to school with social distancing which required using all available rooms for core instruction.
Capital projects are identified for school renovations, additions, and modular additions where needed. The CIP is modified to provide the estimated schedule and cost of capital projects. Funds approved in the 2019 School Bond Referendum and previous referenda will address approximately $337 million of the five-year requirement, leaving a balance of approximately $790 million unfunded. 

Funding for capital improvement projects is currently limited by a $180 million yearly cap on school bond sales. Additional funding sources include $2.7 million for overcrowding and $10 million for routine or major maintenance from FCPS Operating Funds, and $13.1 million for infrastructure management and $658,852 received as proffers from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. 

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For more information, contact the Office of Facilities Planning Services at 571-423-2330.