Dr. Taylor leaves Stafford County Schools

Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) has announced the departure of Superintendent Dr. Thomas W. Taylor, who has led SCPS since November 2021. Dr. Taylor will begin serving as Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools effective this fall. In a county-wide email, Dr. Taylor lauded accomplishments made in the schools, but also noted the county has dropped from 111 to 117 in state rankings for school funding.

During his tenure, Dr. Taylor implemented several measures aimed at improving educational outcomes, including the introduction of staffing standards and a streamlined budget focused on efficiency.  SCPS saw an over 20% increase in average staff wages, as well as advancements in both diversity and gender equity in leadership positions that exceed national and state averages. Dr. Taylor also oversaw the construction of three new schools and the renovation of Edward E. Drew Middle School to accommodate the county’s growth.

Dr. Taylor added several events like Transition Day, Chart Your Future, and Decision Day to schools to help students build plans for after graduation. To address community needs, Dr. Taylor partnered with the JED Foundation to provide mental health support at all schools, and with the Fredericksburg Food Bank and others to provide more resources for food security. Under his leadership, SCPS also partnered with the Commissioner of Revenue’s office and the Internal Revenue Service to train accounting students to provide tax preparation services for low-income families, as part of Virginia’s first Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.

Recognized as Region III Superintendent of the Year in 2024, Dr. Taylor expressed gratitude for his time in Stafford County, saying “It has been an honor to serve Stafford County. The school division has made significant progress in a short period of time, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together. I would like to thank the School Board, students, staff, and community for allowing me to serve this great county.” Dr. Taylor’s email, in addition to noting the drop in funding rankings, also noted that on top of “rampant and largely unchecked growth, the school system’s facility maintenance has been continually underfunded for decades despite pleas from the schools to the Board of Supervisors to fix our aging infrastructure.” He reports  students’ chronic absenteeism and discipline have eroded the schools’ culture, but are improving. Dr. Taylor encouraged citizens to voice their concerns and advocate for SCPS although “Stafford citizens espouse full support for our schools but their voices fall on the deaf ears of some local decision makers. ”

SCPS spokesman Sandra Osborn said the School Board will begin the search for a new superintendent immediately.