Debunking Daily Signal's Misleading Claims about FCPS Financial Matters

The recent opinion piece published by Daily Signal by Stephanie Lundquist-Aurora on May 12, 2026, titled Fairfax Schools Financial Scandal, has stirred controversy in the community by presenting misleading information about Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS). The piece contains numerous inaccuracies, misreported figures, and a lack of basic fact-checking. This blog post aims to clarify the truth behind FCPS’s financial situation and expose the real motives behind the opinion piece’s skewed narrative.

See Privatizers are Fibbing with Figures for an earlier analysis of Daily Signal's attempts to pull the wool over your eyes about the amazing schools in Fairfax County. Read Know Your Disinformation Source to learn more about Independent Women's Forum (IWF) which employs Lundquist-Arora and others to push anti-public school narratives that encourage private school vouchers. 4 Public Education has previously fact-checked a March 2, 2026 Lundquist-Arora opinion piece in the Daily Signal and found it to be heavy on "hysterical arm-waving, but short on facts."

Misreported and Misunderstood Figures

It is hard to tell whether there was a tight deadline or merely an unwillingness to give FCPS credit, but the Daily Signal's reported SOL failure rates should not be taken seriously. A less polite way to say it is: "Don't believe what the Daily Signal prints."

• Ignoring Notations Creates Errors: Although Lundquist-Arora cited the Virginia Department of Education as a source, she failed to read or include critical notations that invalidate her figures for claimed "failure rates" of 84% and 58% in English Writing and History SOLs, respectively. These notations show that her reported "failure rates" are wildly inaccurate for both English writing and History SOLs. Specifically, there is no History-only SOL score for FCPS, because social studies are broken out by course and typically involve assessments that are not captured by VDOE.

• Overlooking Original Sources: Had Lundquist-Arora used original sources (e.g., FCPS Goal 3 Report, page 10), she would have found a 97% pass rate for the FCPS English Writing SOL.

• Under-reporting of FCPS Successes: The Daily Signal attempted to harm FCPS's reputation based on poor SOL pass rates, yet ignored the fact that FCPS not only has better pass rates than the Commonwealth of Virginia, but also than most of its neighboring districts. Figure 31 (Page 37) shows that FCPS surpassed surrounding school districts for the percent of 8th graders who took and passed a high school math SOL.

  
  

  

  
  

Wild, Unsupported Claims Made With Confidence

The Daily Signal claims that FCPS is embroiled in a multiple financial scandals involving hundreds of millions of dollars over a school purchase and a doctorate program aimed at staff, without concrete evidence to support these claims. Simultaneously, they claim that FCPS is failing, but ignore the colleges and employers that recruit heavily from FCPS graduates.

• Skyview High School was a great deal in a great location: It would have taken two to four times the cost and five-ten years to build a new high school to satisfy the overcrowding of the four high schools that will feed into Skyview High School beginning in the 2026-27 school year. Those volunteering on the Boundary Review Advisory Committee, like this author, could see that when they were trying to solve overcrowding in the western high schools.

• Assuming without Evidence is Wildly Unprofessional: Lundquist-Arora assumes that doctorates pursued by staff are being funded by FCPS without any evidence. Many have pointed out that universities fund tuitions for PhD programs, not employers.

• Unsourced Private and Homeschooled Numbers: If the numbers are in a chart, they must be correct, right? Well, the chart does not link to any source but Lundquist-Arora's own earlier opinion pieces, which are also unsourced. The numbers cannot be tracked to a primary source, thus they will be discounted as false.

• Daily Signal is "Chicken Littling" Over FCPS SOL Scores: Overwhelming

  ly data suggests that FCPS students continue to succeed academically under the current leadership of Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid and her staff, under the guidance of the School Board. Whether it is number of National Merit Finalists, International Science and Engineering Fair attendees, or their annual SOL pass rates (see below).

  
  

  

Fundamental Lack of Knowledge About How Things Function

FCPS is one of the largest employers in Virginia and its budget is about one-half of the budget of Fairfax County, so things are complicated. This author is no expert on the FCPS budget or how a 180,000 student school district runs, but at least I know enough to know when I need to phone a friend if I don't understand something. Daily Signal should expect their opinion piece authors to do the same to avoid the following pitfalls.

• Misunderstanding of Fund Allocations: They do not differentiate between funds that are legally designated for specific purposes such as special education or infrastructure improvements versus funding that is more flexible. Some funding cannot just be redirected to other areas, a fact overlooked by Lundquist-Arora.

• Ignoring State and Federal Funding Complexities: Lundquist-Arora fails to account for the complex mix of local, state, and federal funding sources. Some funds come with strict guidelines on usage, which may appear as financial irregularities to an untrained eye.

• SAT scores are not a measurement of school quality, but of parent's wealth: Studies have long shown that high SAT and ACT scores are correlated with wealth, for example, a "Harvard-based team of researchers and policy analysts, found that children of the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans were 13 times likelier than the children of low-income families to score 1300 or higher on SAT/ACT tests."

• FCPS began offering free SATs in 2020 and still beats the National Average: Lundquist-Arora continues to gaslight the public just like Youngkin about falling SAT scores in Fairfax County while ignoring truths 4 Public Education revealed in 2023: FCPS increased access to the SAT by providing free SAT testing to all Seniors in 2020. Nationwide, fewer students took SAT preparation courses post-pandemic, and overall scores were lower. Nevertheless, Fairfax County still outperforms Virginia and globally per the chart below.

These errors not only misinform readers but also unfairly damage the reputation of FCPS, a school system known for its transparency and accountability.

Lack of Basic Research and Context

The opinion pieces’s flaws go beyond numbers. It shows a clear lack of research into how public school finances work and ignores the broader context of education funding challenges.

• No Consultation with FCPS Officials: The author did not seek comments or clarifications from FCPS representatives before publishing. This omission leads to a misleading, one-sided opinion piece that is published in the Fairfax GOP newsletter.

• Ignoring Public Records and Audits: FCPS regularly publishes detailed financial reports and undergoes independent audits. These documents contradict claims in the opinion piece but were not referenced. Additionally, there is a wealth of information available on FCPS Board Docs.

• Overlooking Educational Priorities: The opinion piece frames spending on programs and staff as wasteful without acknowledging the importance of these investments in student outcomes and community well-being.

• Concealing Lundquist-Arora's and IWF's legal entanglements with FCPS: It should be no secret at this point that Lundquist-Arora has been involved in at least two lawsuits against FCPS (masks and policy 2603), and that she leverages her role as a parent and Independent Women's Forum (IWF) employee to create charged opinion pieces in multiple right-wing (see Know Your Disinformation Source: IWF for more). But what many do not know is how IWF has been involved in amplifying or otherwise supporting legal cases, over the years through their media, relationships with other Project 2025 founders, and advocacy. Thus, rather than filing lawsuits itself, IWF affiliates, fellows, and members may serve as plaintiffs, "whistleblowers," or media activists amplifying legal battles spearheaded by other conservative or Project 2025 advocacy organizations. For example, IWF has been heavily involved in both the recent high profile cases at Centreville High School and Fairfax High School.

This biased, superficial approach by the Daily Signal undermines the credibility of their opinion piece and misleads readers about the realities of public school finance. By concealing IWF's and Lundquist-Arora's own longtime opposition to and legal entanglements with FCPS, it is entirely disingenuous to highlight large legal fees without taking responsibility or ownership for a portion of those fees.

The Hidden Agenda: Privatization of Public Schools

Lundquist-Arora advocating for School Choice Week with Harry Jackson

The Daily Signal’s opinion piece by Lundquist-Arora fits into a broader pattern of narratives aimed at promoting the privatization of public education. By portraying FCPS as financially mismanaged and failing to meet educational priorities, Lundquist-Arora continues to build a case for shifting control from public institutions to private entities.

• Privatization Push: Privatization advocates often use financial scandals—real or fabricated—to argue that public schools are inefficient and need private sector solutions.

• Ignoring Public School Successes: FCPS consistently ranks among the top school districts national in student achievement and equity. These successes are rarely mentioned in such partisan opinion pieces.

• Potential Consequences: Privatization leads to reduced transparency, less community control, and uneven educational quality. Lundquist-Arora does not address these risks.

Understanding this agenda helps readers critically evaluate the motives behind the misleading claims.

How to Verify and Counter Wild Claims About Public Schools

Public schools like FCPS play a vital role in communities. Accurate information about their finances helps build trust and support. When encountering sensational claims about school performance and district finances, it is essential to verify information through reliable sources:

Carter G. Woodson High School in Fairfax County, VA (credit: Vanessa Hall)

• Review Official Budget Documents: FCPS publishes its budget and financial reports online. These documents provide detailed, audited data.

• Look for Original Sources: School Districts are required by law to maintain documentation of budgets, expenditures, performance, demographics, and so much more. It can be found on their website, on state and federal websites, or via FOIA.

• Seek Multiple Perspectives: Look for statements from school officials, education experts, and community members.

• Understand Funding Sources: Recognize that public schools receive money from various levels of government, each with specific rules.

• Demand Transparency from Everyone:  FCPS’s commitment to transparency includes regular financial updates and community engagement. Any media source commanding your attention and trying to influence you should be offering the same level of transparency regarding their funding, motives, and data sources.

• Recognize that Investments Benefit Students: Spending on teachers, programs, and facilities directly impacts student success.

• Support Community Involvement because it Matters: Parents and residents should stay informed and participate in school board meetings.

By following these steps, readers can avoid falling for misinformation. Promoting fact-based discussions strengthens public education and counters misleading narratives.

The Daily Signal’s most recent opinion piece (and previous opinion pieces!) on FCPS finances and performance falls short of journalistic standards by misreporting data and ignoring context. Its misleading claims serve a political agenda rather than the public interest. Readers should rely on verified information and support transparent, well-managed public schools that serve all students.