After many months of deliberation on a predicted $100 million budget shortfall for Fairfax County Public Schools, Superintendent Karen Garza has released a $2.7 billion budget for the 2016-2017 school year, a 4.8 percent increase from FY 2016’s budget.

The FY 2017 budget proposal contains no cuts to classroom programs or staffing and aims to increase funding in two major areas: employee salaries and reductions of elementary class sizes.

To keep Fairfax County competitive with surrounding school districts, Garza proposed allocating $62.2 million to salary increases for all employees and an additional $40 million specifically for teacher salaries. FCPS spending will also increase health insurance and support retirement systems for these employees.

The 2017 budget also reduces growing elementary class sizes to below 30 students, where possible. These reductions require an increase of $10.8 million, making elementary school expenses 32.6 percent of the billion dollar budget.

“This budget reflects only our very basic and most pressing needs and, as a community, we must commit to investing in our teachers and students once again,” said Garza.

With increases in funding for employee salaries and reducing elementary school class sizes, the source of the budget’s revenue is put into question. The proposed FY 2017 budget relies on Fairfax County for $1.9 billion, which is a 6.7 percent increase. The budget also relies on $405.8 million from the state. Garza’s budget does not increase state funding from last year.

If FCPS does not receive increased funding from the county, the school board will have to determine reductions and cuts when they debate and vote on a final proposed budget to present to county supervisors this spring.

The school board will hold public hearings on the proposed budget on Jan. 25,  and on April 5 the school board’s budget proposal will be presented to the Board of Supervisors.