Yesterday night,
the Fairfax County School Board voted unanimously to approve a 2% pay increase for all teachers and staff effective January 1, 2024. The unusual timing of the vote was required because of the delayed approval of state budget legislation by Virginia’s Governor and General Assembly and unexpected and procedural changes by the Virginia Department of Education.
School Board Vice Chair and Providence District Representative Karl Frisch released the following statement:
“Our teachers and staff are the backbone of our school system. This vote follows three consecutive years of pay increases for our world-class teachers and staff. If we want to retain and recruit the best educators for our students, we must continue offering competitive compensation.”
“We are just beginning the process of developing the school system’s next budget. I hope we will do even more to demonstrate our appreciation for these dedicated educators by further increasing pay to address the national teacher and school staff shortage.”
“To be clear, our teachers and staff deserve even more than we are giving them with this pay increase, but this is a step in the right direction. It shows that we value their hard work and recognize their dedication to our students and the community.”

Our Man In Arlington 4-17-2025
National Volunteer Week runs from April 20 to April 26 this year, which provides an opportunity to celebrate the importance of the role of volunteers in our community. Let me highlight one story, which seems simple on its face: it starts with a high school student who volunteered with a reading