'Unfunded Investments' for Foreign Languages in Elementary School, Early College Exposure

Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Pat Murphy's proposed $520.4 million budget includes a number of "unfunded investments."

Murphy categorized them as "reminders" of expenditures he feels is necessary to continue to move the school system in the direction of its stated goals.

"These are lighthouses to places we need to be going," Murphy told reporters Thursday morning.

At the top of the list is foreign languages in elementary schools. Nine schools do not have this program. Some communities want it, and Murphy indicated the school system may be able to accommodate them if funds become available.

That's potentially a big if.

Nearly 80 percent of Arlington Public Schools' budget is local tax revenue transferred from the county government.

The county has advertised as much as a 5-cent property tax increase — effectively creating a tax hike ceiling as board members develop Arlington's spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

That ceiling includes some wiggle room, but not much.

The board's starting point was a 3.2-cent tax increase recommended by County Manager Barbara Donnellan. About one penny of that was proposed to fund increased school enrollment.

Beyond that, though, school officials have notified the county they may need the revenue from as much as a half-cent more — and should the county fund that, its wiggle room shrinks.

"The boards are talking," Murphy said, adding that elected officials needed to hear from the community and deliberate before making any decisions.

Other unfunded investments include a program that exposes children to college before the sixth grade, increased funding for math coaches, the acceleration of an assessment program and central registration.

Assuming the county board raises taxes beyond the proposed 3.2 cents, or frees up existing money, the school system's lighthouses would be competing for dollars with a number of other county priorities — particularly affordable housing, for which Arlington County Board Chairman Walter Tejada and ally Chris Zimmerman are especially interested increasing the dedicated funding.

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'No Easy Decisions' — Superintendent Proposes $520M Budget