Headshot of Superintendent of Schools Dr. Steve Walts. Superintendent's proposed Fiscal Year 2022 budget. Building on our success and building on our future.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Steve Walts presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2022 budget to the Prince William County School Board on February 3, 2021.

During the presentation, Dr. Walts thanked the teachers, administrators, support staff, parents, community, and School Board for their support and the great successes Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) have achieved this year, and for the past 16 years that Walts has proudly served as the School Division's Superintendent.

Walts added that this past pandemic year has been unlike any other in his career - and unlike any other in modern history. Together, as a community, and despite significant adversity, PWCS continued to innovate, educate, and support students.

Dr. Walts presented a budget for the next school year that builds upon the success of PWCS and focuses on the future, with six key priorities:

  1. Pandemic-related student and employee support, including resources and staff necessary to continue to meet the unique and significant needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. Teachers and staff, providing a step of 2.8 percent average increase for eligible employees, and a COLA of 1 percent for eligible employees. In addition, there is no health care cost increase for the third year in a row.
  3. Educational equity, and academic achievement for all, including funding for the Regional Special Education Program, increased Summer School supports, and English Language Arts textbooks.
  4. Pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) access, adds an additional five Pre-K classrooms.
  5. Student mental health and wellness, hiring additional school counselors, psychologists, and nurses.
  6. Sustainable facilities, school safety, and support infrastructure, focusing on Capital Improvements Program investments in our oldest schools including natural daylighting and door replacement (fenestration) projects and investment in modernization of our legacy financial and payroll systems.

The School Board will hold a hybrid physical/virtual public budget hearing on February 17. The County Board of Supervisors will hold a public budget hearing on April 6.

You may review more about the FY2022 Budget on our PWCS Budget Updates webpage.