LCPS FY 2027 Budget Presentation and SRO Discussion - February 9, 2026
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Meeting: LCPS FY 2027 Budget and SRO Discussion - February 9, 2026
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors met jointly with the Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Board on February 9, 2026, to receive the FY 2027 budget presentation and to begin a discussion on a proposal to expand School Resource Officers (SROs) into elementary schools. Both bodies also recognized new school board members and supervisors at the start.
Discussion Items
LCPS FY 2027 Budget Presentation
Superintendent Dr. Aaron Spence presented the adopted LCPS operating budget for FY 2027, which totals approximately $2.07 billion, a $105 million (5.3%) increase over the FY 2026 budget. Key points included:
- Enrollment: Projected to decline by 316 students, yet the number of English learner (EL) students is expected to increase by 1% and special education population by 3.4%. The budget adds 51.6 positions for specialized supports and 120 total new FTEs, with 94.2% of positions school-based or school-facing.
- Compensation: The collective bargaining agreement provides a 2.5% step increase plus a 4% COLA for certified staff and 5% COLA for non-certified staff, averaging 6.5–7.5% increases. Health insurance premiums will increase by 20%.
- State Funding: Projected to decrease by $3.3 million due to lower enrollment, a shift in the local composite index, and a reduction in state-funded teacher raise percentage.
- County Transfer: The budget aligns with the county's guidance of $105 million in new local revenue, which would support a 7.6% increase in county funding from FY 2026.
- Cost per Pupil: $25,490, a 6.9% increase.
- Unmet Needs: Initiatives such as slower program expansion, employee tuition assistance, and phased remodeling stipends were noted as delayed investments.
- Several supervisors praised the budget for staying within county parameters. Questions covered enrollment trends, the removal of 72 classroom teachers (addressed as attrition-based), the status of the eastern Loudoun welcome center, and meal debt policies (no child is denied a meal, and debt is written off annually).
Discussion on School Resource Officers (SROs) in Elementary Schools
Sheriff Chapman and Lieutenant Colonel Sawyer presented a proposal to place SROs in all elementary schools over a four-year period, at an estimated cost of $7 million per year (about $20 million total once fully phased). The proposal cited:
- Over 4,000 annual calls for service across all LCPS schools, with about one-third (1,500) occurring at elementary schools.
- National trends: a 1,000% increase in attacks on elementary schools over the past decade, and over 25% of school shootings now occur at elementary levels.
- The SRO role follows a triad model: enforcement, education, and engagement.
- Currently, unarmed security personnel are used in elementary schools; the sheriff’s office argued SROs provide better training, immediate response, and investigative capabilities.
- The proposal would begin with the most remote schools and be phased countywide.
School board members asked about community engagement, the existing MOU process (which currently covers middle and high schools only and was not expanded because funding was uncertain), and how this compares to practices in neighboring jurisdictions (most do not have SROs in elementary schools). Chair Chandler noted that the school board had not seen the proposal before the meeting and emphasized that the conversation should continue with town halls. No decisions were made.
Key Outcomes
- The FY 2027 LCPS budget presentation was formally received by the Board of Supervisors; no vote was taken. The board will continue to review the request and the county’s budget before appropriation.
- Discussion on expanding SROs to elementary schools is ongoing. The sheriff’s office agreed to hold a town hall to gather community input. The school board indicated it would need time to consider the proposal. No formal action was taken at this meeting.
- Questions about budget details (e.g., school lunch debt, Perkins grant funding, and student post-graduation data) were noted for follow-up responses.
Meeting Transcript
Two things. One, we have a large crowd in here, and I'm sure there are thousands watching us on television because we are fascinating. We also have new school board members who may not have introduced themselves to the public. So we're going to go around the table and have everybody very quickly introduce yourself to the public. You can uh say your name and if you are elected official, what district you are representing and what year you might be in in your term. And I will start with the chair. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um April Chandler, I am elected to represent the Algonquian district. I was re-elected in the last election and have started my second term this year, which means I've now served or am beginning the third year of service on the school board. And um I'm very grateful to my colleagues on the school board to have been elected chair. Good evening. My name is Julie Bristol. I'm the Alconsion District Representative on the Latin Accounting Board. Um I've been a supervisor since 2020, and I'm including my son's year in this role. I'm Amy McCarty. I am a school board member just elected in November from the Sterling District. Good evening, Karan Saints Sterling District. Can't top that. You can though. I bet you can. Good evening. I'm John Pepper. I am from the Dulles District on the school board. I was just elected to my first term in November and started this January, so I am in my first year and just finished my first month on the board. Thank you, Chair. I'm Dr. Samara Washid. I'm school board representative of Little River District. I'm in my third year of my of my four-year term. Thank you. Good evening. My name is Laura Tacroni. I represent uh the Little River District on the Board of Supervisors, and I'm in my third year of service. Thank you. No, I meant staff. I thought so. Thank you. Good evening now. Tim Hamp Street, uh Loudin County administrator. Begin Burke, County Budget Director. Sharon Wilby, Chief Financial Officer for LCPS. Good evening. I'm Aaron Spence, Superintendent of Loudon County Public Schools. And I'm Lauren Shernoff. I am the proud Leesburg representative for the school board. Yay. Good job. Chris Domstott, Lee's per district board of supervisors. Good evening, Ross Venson. I'm the school board member representing Broadrun.
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