Alexandria School Board proposes 87% pay hike and four-year terms

The Alexandria City School Board is preparing to vote on a major increase in member compensation, raising salaries by 87 percent. The proposal would lift annual pay from $15,000 to $28,000 effective January 1, 2028. This would be the first salary adjustment for board members since 2007.

Board members discussed the pay structure earlier this month. The plan includes a subsequent $5,000 increase each July 1 until salaries reach $43,000 in the 2031 fiscal year. That final figure represents a total increase of 187 percent over the current rate. By comparison, Fairfax County board members currently earn $48,000, while their Arlington counterparts receive $25,000.

Officials noted that the board must act by December 2026 for the new rates to take effect after the next election. Board members stated in a recent blog post that they cannot raise their own pay mid-term. This timing aligns with a separate move to overhaul the board's election structure.

A joint ad hoc committee from the School Board and City Council recommended moving from three-year terms to four-year terms for the nine-member board. The committee did not recommend changes to the total number of board members or the use of staggered terms. The committee will present its full report to the City Council for review on November 10.

The proposal follows a resolution passed by the School Board in November 2024. That resolution asked the City Council to amend the City Charter to lengthen terms and shift to staggered elections, with one member from each district elected annually. Currently, all nine members face voters in the same three-year cycle.

Changing the term length requires a city charter amendment, a public hearing, and legislation from the Virginia General Assembly. School Board Member Kelly Carmichael Booz told the board last week that the General Assembly could consider the legislation in 2027, but action is more likely in 2028.