School board approves teacher raises

The $2.2 billion fiscal year 2012 budget passed unanimously by the Fairfax County School Board May 26 includes a 1 percent pay increase for all employees and step increases for those eligible. That would be the  first raise for teachers since 2008. The Fairfax Education Association had sought a 2 percent increase.

The budget also limits the impact of the athletic fees by capping them at two fees per student per school year. Full-day kindergarten would be expanded to the 36 elementary schools that don’t already have it, beginning in September 2011. All of the schools in Annandale have full-day kindergarten.

The school budget includes $28.4 million to accommodate a projected enrollment increase of 2,333 students. FCPS estimates that one of every four students will be eligible for free or reduced-price meals in fiscal year 2012.