MY PRIORITY
Fiscal Stewardship and Accountability
APS manages more than $800 million in public funds each year, plus additional public dollars through capital improvement bonds.
It's a serious responsibility that demands a focus on how we spend the money and whether it advances outcomes for our students.
Here's where I've focused, and where I'll keep focusing:
Protecting class sizes.
Class size is one of the first things to erode under budget pressure, and one of the things that matters most to teachers, students, and families. I've balanced APS's budget every year of my term without increasing class sizes and that will continue to be top priority for me.
When cuts are necessary, they shouldn't start with the people working directly with kids. I've consistently pushed to reduce administrative positions before student-facing ones, and I'll continue holding that line.
Student-facing roles first.
Expanding our funding base.
Public dollars alone won't solve every challenge, so I've focused on growing the resources available to APS beyond the annual budget. I secured a dedicated grant writer to bring in outside funding, I'm helping launch a community education foundation to build long-term philanthropic support, and I've pushed APS to think seriously about how to put Arlington's deep bench of volunteer time and talent to better use for our students.
Our hardworking APS staff members deserve real, sustained investment. That's gotten harder to deliver as APS navigates state and federal funding pressures and declining enrollment, but it's exactly why I've fought to make competitive compensation a budget priority, not an afterthought.
Prioritizing educator compensation
When we're responsible for spending at this scale, "we've always funded it" isn't good enough. I've pushed APS to get much sharper about which investments are actually delivering results and which aren't, so that our funding decisions are based on evidence.
Demanding real ROI analysis.
The choices ahead will only get harder. The state continues to underfund public education, in our county and statewide. Budgets reflect priorities, and every dollar we spend should reflect our commitment to student success. I'll keep navigating those tradeoffs the way I have for the past three years — with discipline, transparency, and a relentless focus on what actually serves our students.