WHAT WE FOUND

• In FY25, the state spent $8.5 billion to fund Virginia’s constitutionally mandated K–12 standards of quality (SOQ). This equates to an average of $6,978 for each of the state’s 1.2 million elementary and secondary school students.

• FY25 total state SOQ spending increased 9 percent over FY24 spending.

• State SOQ spending per student increased 13 percent more than inflation during the last decade.

• Fairfax County has by far the most K–12 students and received the most SOQ funds, $909 million, in FY25.

• Lee County, which has a relatively low local ability to pay, received the most state SOQ funds per student, $11,403.

• Alexandria, which is among the localities with the highest local ability to pay, received the least state SOQ funds per student, $3,731.