National, local leaders react to tentative agreement reached by Fairfax Education Unions

WASHINGTON—Educators and support staff in Fairfax County, home to Virginia’s largest school district, have reached a historic tentative agreement with the Fairfax County Public Schools, for the first time in half a century. Fairfax Education Unions and Fairfax County Public Schools announced the tentative contract agreement today after a several months-long process and close to four months of negotiations. FEU is affiliated nationally with the AFT and the National Education Association.

“This is a historic win for Fairfax students, educators and the community,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “This tentative agreement will lead to the first collectively bargained contract in nearly 50 years. Should this agreement be ratified, it will show that when educators stand together and raise their voices, they can ensure their students have what they need to be successful. Now, we can prioritize what truly matters—delivering exceptional educational experiences for our students, and supporting educators in doing the jobs they love.” 

“For decades, educators and school support personnel in Fairfax have worked tirelessly on behalf of their students; what they asked in return was to be treated with dignity and respect, which is what the right to collectively bargain a fair contract is all about,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Today’s agreement isn’t just about fair compensation, healthcare, safety protections and a voice at work—it’s also about honoring that covenant between educators, support staff and their students. It’s an investment in the future of our kids and of the whole Fairfax community. Today marks a new chapter that gives educators a surer footing to focus on the work they love: nurturing the minds of tomorrow and preparing kids for career, college and life.”

The tentative agreement, if ratified, would allow for region-leading employee compensation via salary and step increases, additional educator planning time and continuation of an eight-hour teacher contract for special education teachers. The unions also advocated for FCPS to initiate the Request for Proposals process in January 2025 to rebid to seek more affordable healthcare plans for staff. Through this tentative agreement, educators and staff have won defined health and safety procedures that prioritize the well-being of students and educators, fostering safer classrooms and a stronger voice for everyone in the FCPS community. 

FEU is the exclusive bargaining agent for 27,000 public school employees who are members of the Fairfax Education Association and the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers.

“After 47 years, we’ve made significant strides toward fairness and unity for every educator in Fairfax County,” said Leslie Houston, FEA president. “This tentative agreement is a momentous and historic milestone. It represents not just a contract, but a testament to the determination and solidarity of educators. Together, we are shaping a future that reflects our commitment to students, staff and the entire community.” 

“We are thrilled to reach our first tentative agreement in Fairfax County Public Schools history,” said David Walrod, FCFT president. “This tentative agreement will undoubtedly improve the lives of the FCPS workers we represent. We hope this spurs more labor activism and contracts around Virginia. We’re excited to ratify this contract and are looking forward to continuing to make Fairfax County a world-class educational system for students and FCPS workers.” 

Fairfax County Public Schools is the ninth-largest school district in the United States. This past June, its employees gained the right to collectively bargain for the first time in nearly 50 years, with an overwhelming “yes” vote of nearly 97 percent from instructional staff and over 80 percent from operational staff.

FEU has established a unified voice for educators and support personnel. Together, members will continue to advocate for improved learning conditions, smaller class sizes, enhanced school safety and mental health resources, and increased preparation time, among other key issues facing Fairfax County Public Schools. 

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 The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers and public employees. Learn more at nea.org. 

The AFT represents 1.8 million pre-K through 12th-grade teachers; paraprofessionals and other school-related personnel; higher education faculty and professional staff; federal, state and local government employees; nurses and healthcare workers; and early childhood educators.