Stafford County Low Cost to Do Business At the Expense of Public Schools

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Stafford County: Open for Business, Closed for Education?

Did you know Stafford County ranks 117th out of 132 school divisions in Virginia for per-pupil spending? Despite being one of Virginia's wealthiest counties, our schools are underfunded, our teachers are underpaid, and our kids are being left behind while the county prioritizes business incentives over school funding.

Last night, the Citizens’ Budget Advisory Committee (CBAC) presented a powerful report to the School Board, exposing the $14.2 million funding gap and showing how Stafford’s economic policies are starving our schools.

Key Takeaways:
-Stafford is growing, but our schools can’t keep up – enrollment is over 32,000 students and rising.
-Limited local revenue investment leaves Stafford lagging behind regional peers – We fund only 36.7% of our school budget locally, compared to Prince William (52%) and Loudoun (71%).
-Over-reliance on residential zoning instead of commercial development has strained school funding, as new housing developments increase student enrollment without generating the necessary tax base to support them.
-Teacher pay is not competitive, and we’re losing great educators to nearby counties that offer higher salaries and better resources.
-Student achievement is declining, and it’s directly linked to the lack of investment in our schools.
Stafford County actively markets itself as a "low-cost" place to do business, prioritizing tax breaks for corporations while underfunding public education. The county offers:

Stafford is choosing tax breaks for businesses over competitive teacher pay, over modern classrooms, and over student success. If this continues, families will leave, businesses will struggle to find an educated workforce, and Stafford’s reputation will suffer.


➡️ Watch the Presentation: Citizens' Budget Report Presentation -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkQ-NM00u3Q
➡️ Read the Full Report: CBAC Report - Stafford County Schools -- https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/scpsva/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=DCYTJL779DF5