Edge Rewrite
pun Source code View original
Jump to content

// Workers AI · dad joke modeDoes Fairfax County Public Schools have a grade A pass?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fairfax County Public Schools
Address
8115 Gatehouse Road
(Fairfax County), Virginia, 22042
United States
Coordinates38°52′06″N 77°13′26″W / 38.86833°N 77.22389°W / 38.86833; -77.22389 (Fairfax County Public Schools district office)
District information
TypePublic
Motto
  • Engage
  • Inspire
  • Thrive
GradesPre-K through 12[1][2][3]
EstablishedFebruary 6, 1870; 156 years ago (1870-02-06)
SuperintendentMichelle C. Reid
School boardKyle McDaniel

Ryan McElveen
Ilryong Moon
Tom Dannan
Robyn Lady
Marcia St. John-Cunning
Melanie K. Meren
Ricardy Anderson
Mateo Dunne
Karl Frisch
Sandy Anderson
Seema Dixit

Faith Mekonen[4]
Chair of the boardSandy Anderson[5]
Governing agencyVirginia Department of Education
Schools223[1]
Budget$3.9 billion (FY 2026)[6]
NCES District ID5101260[1]
Students and staff
Students180,559 (2024–25)[7]
Teachers 12,675.75 (FTE) (2022–23)[1]
Staff25,625 (FTE) (2025–26)[1]
Student–teacher ratio1:11.24 (2023–24, K-7) 1:12.21 (2023–24, 8-12)
Other information
Websitefcps.edu

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is a school division in the U.S. state of Virginia. The division is an agency of the Fairfax County government, and it administers the public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax. The main administrative offices of FCPS are located in the Merrifield area of Fairfax County, just west of the independent city of Falls Church.[8]

As of December 2025, all schools in FCPS were accredited by the Virginia Department of Education.[9][10]

With nearly 183,000 students enrolled as of March 2026, FCPS is the largest public school system in Virginia, and it was the 12th-largest school district in the country as of autumn 2021.[2][11] The division has been led by Division Superintendent Michelle Reid since July 2022.[12][13]

History

[edit]

19th century

[edit]
Fairfax High School in Fairfax
George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church
Langley High School in McLean
McLean High School in McLean
Oakton High School in Vienna
South Lakes High School in Reston
Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax
Carter G. Woodson High School (formerly Wilbert Tucker Woodson High School) in Fairfax

The public school system in Fairfax County, Virginia, was created after the American Civil War, following Virginia's adoption of its Reconstruction-era state constitution in 1870; this made free public education a constitutional right for the first time. The first superintendent of schools for Fairfax County was Thomas M. Moore, who was sworn in on September 26, 1870.[14][15] At the time of its creation, the Fairfax County Public Schools system consisted of 41 schools—28 serving White students and 13 serving Black students.[14][15]

In 1886, Milton D. Hall was appointed superintendent, and he served for 44 years until his retirement in 1929.[14]

20th century

[edit]

Fairfax County Public Schools, like most school systems in the American South, practiced de jure segregation. The county had local elementary schools for Black students, but no high schools for Black students. Although Fairfax County was densely populated, it had proportionately few Black high school students.[16] Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, Arlington, and Fauquier counties all shared a high school for Black students. This school was centrally located among the counties in Manassas. Other students attended high schools in Washington, D.C., where many had relatives. Those schools included Armstrong High School, Cardozo High School, Dunbar High School, and Phelps Vocational Center. In 1951, Fairfax County began construction of Luther Jackson High School after residents requested a high school for Black students.[17] In 1954, FCPS had 42 elementary schools and six high schools; Luther Jackson High School opened in Falls Church as the first high school for Black students in the county.[18][19]

In 1954, the Supreme Court's decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education ordered an end to racial segregation in public schools. In response, Virginia enacted legislation to prevent desegregation, took control of school placement decisions, and closed some school systems that attempted to desegregate. When Arlington County announced an early desegregation plan, its school board was dismissed by the State Board of Education.[20]

In 1955, the Fairfax County School Board renamed its "Committee on Desegregation" the "Committee on Segregation", after a petition and the threat of litigation from a civic group called the Virginia Citizens' Committee for Better Schools.[21]

After the Brown v. Board of Education decision, Daniel L. Duke—author of Education Empire: The Evolution of an Excellent Suburban School System—wrote: "Whether local school systems such as Fairfax County, left to their own, would have moved forward to implement desegregation in the late fifties will never be known. Richmond removed any possibility of local option...".[22]

Court decisions later noted that the state, rather than the county, controlled student placement during this period. A 1964 decision stated:[23]

Prior to the Brown decision Fairfax County maintained a dual school system: one for Negro students; one for all other races. Shortly thereafter the placement of all children in the Fairfax County schools was taken from the local school board and vested in the state Pupil Placement Board. The assignment of students remained with the state Board until the 1961–62 school year, at which time placement responsibilities were reinvested in the local School Board.

Fairfax County began its desegregation efforts shortly thereafter.[18]

By 1955, delegates from Northern Virginia in the Virginia General Assembly openly opposed the Stanley Plan—1956 statutes supporting racial segregation in Virginia—and called for more far-reaching legislation. Virginia's 10th congressional district was the only district to vote against the Gray Plan.[24] Delegate Boatwright introduced another bill aimed at Northern Virginia school boards.[25] Known as the Boatwright Bill, it would have prohibited certain federal employees from serving on school boards or holding other local offices.[26] Boatwright said that his bill applied to all Virginia communities, but he acknowledged that Northern Virginia would be most affected. Supporters of the bill argued that federal employees favored the federal government's position on integration. At the time, four members of the seven-member Fairfax County School Board were federal employees.

In the case of Blackwell v. Fairfax County School Board in 1960, Black plaintiffs charged that Fairfax County's grade-a-year desegregation plan was discriminatory and dilatory. Fifteen Black children had been refused admission to White schools because they did not fall within the grades covered by the school board's assignment plan. The plaintiffs successfully argued that desegregation was proceeding too slowly under the plan. District Judge Albert V. Bryan did not categorically reject grade-a-year plans, but he held that they needed to be judged according to the character of the community. Since Black students made up less than four percent of Fairfax County's school population, Bryan considered fear of racial friction an unacceptable justification for such a cautious desegregation plan.[25]

The report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 1962 found that "Every sign indicates that the communities in Northern Virginia will be the first in the State to reach compliance with the mandate in the School Segregation Cases."[16] Fairfax County was later among the first school systems in the country to receive funds to aid desegregation because of its efforts to implement a desegregated system.[16][22]

The Fairfax County School Board voted in 1958 to switch from a 7–5 grade-level configuration (i.e., 7 grades in elementary school and 5 grades in high school) to a 6–2–4 configuration, necessitating the creation of what were then called intermediate schools for students in grades 7 and 8.[18] By the time the first eight intermediate schools opened in fall 1960, they had already exceeded their 1,000-student capacities.[18][27]

In fall 1960, the first Black students were admitted to newly desegregated Fairfax County public schools. For example, Jerald R. Betz and Raynard Wheeler enrolled at Belvedere Elementary School in Falls Church, and Gwendolyn Brooks enrolled at Cedar Lane Elementary School in Vienna.[28]

The changeover to the 6–2–4 plan was the last major initiative of Superintendent W. T. Woodson, who retired in 1961 after 32 years as head of FCPS; this was the second-longest tenure in the system's history.[18][29] In April 1961, Earl C. Funderburk, superintendent of schools in Wilmington, North Carolina, was appointed to replace Woodson.[30]

In 1961, FCPS also began administering schools in the City of Fairfax.[31]

As early as 1965, Superintendent Funderburk was discussing plans to decentralize FCPS.[18] By 1967, he had developed a plan for five area offices, each serving part of the county, and he had appointed Woodson High School Principal Robert E. Phipps and West Springfield High School Principal S. John Davis as the first two area administrators that December.[18][32]

Although the school board had endorsed Funderburk's plan, it also hired the consulting firm Cresap, McCormick & Paget to audit the system's management organization and operations.[18] In 1968, based on the consultant's recommendations, the school board implemented a significantly modified version of the decentralization plan, dividing FCPS into four areas that functioned as miniature school systems.[18][33][34] In January 1969, Funderburk resigned, telling the school board that he did not want a third term as superintendent.[35] In May 1969, the school board selected Lawrence M. Watts—of the Greece School District in Greece, New York—to lead FCPS, which had grown during Funderburk's tenure from 65,000 to 122,000 students.[34]

In May 1970, Watts appointed Taylor M. Williams as the first Black high school principal in FCPS since desegregation, placing him in charge of James Madison High School in Vienna.[36] The appointment was one of Watts' final official acts. After less than a year as superintendent, Watts died of a heart attack at age 44 in June 1970 (at his home in Oakton).[37] Assistant Superintendent S. Barry Morris was named interim superintendent, while the school board sought a replacement to lead the 130,000-student school system.[38]

In September 1970, Area Superintendent S. John Davis was chosen after a nationwide search to serve the remaining 33 months of Watts' four-year term.[39]

During the mid-1970s, Davis faced declining enrollment and population shifts. The student population dropped from a high of 145,385 in the 1974–75 school year to a low of 122,646 in 1982–83.[18] Families also migrated from established eastern and central parts of the county to newer developments in the west and south, requiring Davis to request the closure of some schools while seeking to build new ones elsewhere.[18][40]

In a 6–5 vote in May 1976, the school board voted to reinstitute textbook rental fees, hoping to raise an additional $1.3 million to close a projected budget shortfall.[41] The plan was scrapped two months later, in July, when the board was able to find a $1.4 million surplus.[42]

In 1978, Fairfax County began countywide enforcement of its 15-year-old standardized six-point letter grading scale, with a ten-point spread at the bottom of the grading range.[43] The grading scale, established in 1963, provided that a score of 94–100% was an A, 87–93% a B, 80–86% a C, and 70–79% a D, with any score below 70% an F.[43]

The county school board adopted a $279 million budget in February 1979, which included a 5.15% cost-of-living raise for the system's teachers and other employees.[44] The increase was only slightly more than half of the 9.9% inflation rate that month and less than the 9.4% increase that FCPS employees had sought. In April 1979, the Fairfax Education Association (FEA)—the professional association representing teachers in the county—adopted a work-to-rule action. Under the action, teachers would not work beyond the 7.5 hours per day that were specified in their contracts.[45] The FEA also gave Superintendent Davis a vote of no confidence.[46][47]

The vote of no confidence was cited as a major factor in Davis' decision to resign from FCPS on May 18, 1979. He accepted an appointment from Governor John N. Dalton as Virginia Superintendent of Public Education, despite taking a $5,000-per-year pay cut.[48]

After Davis resigned, the Fairfax County School Board appointed Associate Superintendent William J. Burkholder as interim superintendent.[49]

In November 1979, after a four-month search, the school board named Lucius Linton Deck, Jr.—superintendent in Orange County, Florida—to lead FCPS.[50] Deck's 6+1⁄2 years in Orange County had drawn mixed reactions, with some residents glad to see him leave, but others praising him as a strong and professional leader.[51]

Deck inherited the issue of closing underused schools, which had also affected Superintendent Davis.[52] Twenty-nine elementary schools, mostly in the eastern part of the county, were studied for possible closure; however, Deck recommended in April 1980 that eight schools be closed, five more than the review panel had suggested.[52][53] The following month, the school board voted at its May 22 meeting to close seven of the eight schools, a decision that was met with angry hisses and boos from parents in attendance.[54][55]

Fairfax County teachers' work-to-rule action, which had begun in April 1979, ended in May 1980.[56]

In January 1981, Linton Deck accepted a new four-year contract as superintendent of FCPS.[57] Shortly before accepting this contract, Deck proposed covering $2.75 million of his proposed $395 million 1982 school budget by instituting textbook rental fees for students.[58] This plan would have charged annual textbook fees ranging from $22 for elementary school students to $30 per year for high school students. Although permitted by Virginia law, the plan was scrapped after strong criticism.[59]

Deck faced several controversies, including his handling of an investigation into recruiting violations by the Mount Vernon High School athletic department, his censure by the FEA over a school closing, criticism of his leadership style, and pressure from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors over his proposed budget. The school board forced Deck to resign on June 24, 1982, only 1+1⁄2 years into his four-year contract.[60][61] The board appointed William J. Burkholder as acting superintendent.

At its meeting on April 25, 1991, the school board approved a plan under which several intermediate schools in areas of the county with declining enrollment would add sixth-grade classes and become middle schools.[62] The affected schools had served only seventh and eighth grades for the previous 31 years. Under the plan, Glasgow, Holmes, and Poe intermediate schools added sixth-grade classes.

In 1993, teacher merit pay, then four years old, was suspended because of budget cuts. At its March 11 meeting, the school board voted to phase out the program completely over the next four years.[63]

Special education

[edit]

FCPS took over the education of students with mental disabilities from a parent-organized cooperative in 1953. The parents had started the program in 1950, using whatever space could be found to educate their children, but they eventually asked FCPS to take control of the program.[64]

In 1955, special education classes for mentally disabled students were expanded to include four classes for "educable" children, described as those with a mental age above 7, at Groveton, Lincolnia, Oakton, and Luther Jackson schools. A separate class for "trainable" children, defined as those with a mental age of less than 6+1⁄2, was offered at Groveton.[64]

In recent years, parents of students with individualized education programs (IEPs) and Section 504 plans have filed lawsuits against FCPS. These lawsuits alleged that the district failed to provide required services and resources under students' special education plans. The lawsuits also alleged violations of federal disability-rights laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.[65][66]

Complaints and lawsuits about FCPS's services for students with disabilities led to an investigation by the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. In 2022, this office found that FCPS had failed (or been unable) to provide a free appropriate public education to thousands of students with disabilities during remote learning. The findings included failures to provide services identified in students' IEPs and Section 504 plans.[67][68]

21st century

[edit]

Until 2006, the Fairfax County school system was headquartered at 10700 Page Avenue, in an unincorporated area of the county surrounded by the City of Fairfax.[69][70] In 2006, FCPS moved all of its operations from the Burkholder Center, as well as several other school-owned and leased offices, to the office building on Gatehouse Road.[71]

Operations and statistics

[edit]

As of March 2026, Virginia School Quality Profiles (from the Virginia Department of Education) listed FCPS as having 195 schools, including 25 high schools, three secondary schools, 24 middle schools, 141 elementary schools, and two centers for special education.[72] FCPS operates more than 1,600 school buses, including 31 electric buses, and it transports 131,000 students daily.[2] Its approved operating budget for fiscal year 2026 was $3.9 billion, and the system had 41,298 employees, including 25,625 full-time equivalent positions.[2]

As of 2026, FCPS was the largest school system in Virginia and the ninth-largest in the United States.[2] For the class of 2025, FCPS reported an on-time graduation rate of 93.3% and an average SAT score of 1,183.[2] FCPS uses an electronic visitor-management system to control visitor access at its schools.[73]

2025 House committee investigation

[edit]

On November 24, 2025, the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce announced an investigation into antisemitism in several kindergarten-to-12th-grade (K–12) school districts, including Fairfax County Public Schools.[74] In a letter to Superintendent Michelle Reid, committee chairman Tim Walberg said that the committee was investigating whether FCPS had a hostile environment for Jewish students, and whether FCPS was fulfilling its obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to address harassment and prevent its recurrence.[75]

Academic programs and courses

[edit]

FCPS offers several academic programs and course options at select schools:[76]

  • Advanced Placement (AP) program: The AP program provides college-preparatory coursework in various subject areas for high school students. FCPS offers 39 AP courses at schools having AP programs.[77]
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) programs: FCPS offers the IB Middle Years Program (MYP) for grades 6-10 and the IB Diploma Program (DP) for grades 11 and 12.[78]
  • FCPS Online Campus: Students can take online courses for high school credit through the FCPS Online Campus. These courses are identical to those taught in traditional classrooms.[79]
  • Academy elective courses: FCPS high school Academies offer advanced technical and specialized elective courses that combine career and academic preparation. Students enrolled in Academy electives may participate in career experiences such as shadowing, mentoring, and internships with local businesses.[80]

Controversies

[edit]

Debate over grading policies

[edit]

Before May 2009, FCPS used a six-point grading scale on which 94–100% was an A, 90–93% was a B+, 84–89% was a B, and so on. In 2008, a group of parents raised concerns about whether FCPS's method of weighting and computing grades for advanced courses adversely affected FCPS students applying for college admissions, honors programs, and merit-based scholarship awards.

On January 2, 2009, Superintendent Jack D. Dale announced his recommendation to change the weighting of advanced courses while retaining the six-point grading scale.[81][82] Dale stated that there was no conclusive evidence that the six-point grading scale disadvantaged FCPS students.

FCPS worked with the parent group to jointly review the issue. On January 22, 2009, the Fairfax County School Board directed Dale to report back with a new version of the grading scale by March 2009.[83] The board also approved changing the weighting for Honors courses to 0.5 effective with the 2009–2010 school year, and for AP and IB courses to 1.0 retroactively.[83]

After the review, the Fairfax County School Board approved a modified ten-point scale with pluses and minuses. The new scale took effect at the beginning of the 2009–10 school year. On the new scale, 93–100% is an A, 90–92% is an A−, 87–89% is a B+, and so on.[84]

Controversy over disciplinary policies

[edit]

In 2009 and 2011, Fairfax County Public Schools' disciplinary policies for drug-related offenses came under community scrutiny after two students died by suicide following school disciplinary proceedings.[85] Both students—17-year-old Josh Anderson of South Lakes High School, who died in 2009, and 15-year-old Nick Stuban of Woodson High School, who died in 2011—had been suspended from their schools for marijuana-related offenses.[85][86] The school district also suspended at least one student for possession of her prescription medication.[87]

Although then-Superintendent Jack D. Dale maintained that FCPS's disciplinary policy did not constitute "zero tolerance",[88] the suicides nevertheless prompted the school board and the state legislature to revisit school disciplinary policies.[89][90] After a year-long study, the school board voted to relax punishments for marijuana possession and add requirements for parental notification when students face serious disciplinary sanctions.[91]

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

[edit]

In late 2022 and early 2023, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology was investigated by Jason Miyares, the Attorney General of Virginia, for withholding notification from parents that their children had received a National Merit Scholarship award; this made national headlines. The high school was also sued for a change made to their admissions policy, shifting from a standardized test to a written exam.[92]

Organization

[edit]
Fairfax County School Board
Type
Type
Term limits
none
Leadership
Chair
Sandy Anderson
Vice Chair
Robyn Lady
Structure
Seats12 – 9 elected by district, 3 "at-large"
Political groups
Majority
  •   Democratic (12)

Minority

Length of term
4 years, renewable
Salary$48,000 per annum + $2,000 (chair)
Elections
Last election
November 7, 2023
Next election
November 2, 2027

FCPS is led by a superintendent and is overseen by a school board. The current superintendent is Dr. Michelle C. Reid, who began her term on July 1, 2022.[93]

For FCPS administrative and governance purposes, Fairfax County is organized into six geographically based regions (numbered 1 through 6). Each region is led by an assistant superintendent, who oversees operations at schools within their region.

FCPS's headquarters is located in the Gatehouse Administration Center in Merrifield, an unincorporated section of the county near the city of Falls Church; the headquarters has a Falls Church address but is not within city limits.[8]

School board

[edit]

Virginia statutes and the Virginia Board of Education charge the Fairfax County School Board with setting general school policy, as well as establishing guidelines that ensure proper administration and operation of FCPS.

The Fairfax County School Board comprises 12 elected members and one student representative. Nine elected members are chosen, one from each of the following magisterial districts: Braddock, Dranesville, Franconia, Hunter Mill, Mason, Mount Vernon, Providence, Springfield, and Sully. Three additional elected members are chosen "at-large". Members are elected for four-year terms. A student representative, selected for a one-year term by the Student Advisory Council, sits with the board at all public meetings and participates in discussions but does not vote. The board chair is elected to serve for a one-year term; the current chair, Karl Frisch (Providence), has been serving since January 1, 2024.[94]

The current members of the school board are Tom Dannan (Braddock), Robyn A. Lady (Dranesville), Marcia C. St. John-Cunning (Franconia), Melanie K. Meren (Hunter Mill), Ricardy J. Anderson (Mason), Mateo Dunne (Mount Vernon), Karl V. Frisch (Providence), Sandy B. Anderson (Springfield), and Seema Dixit (Sully). The other three members, R. Kyle McDaniel, Ryan L. McElveen, and Ilryong Moon, serve as "at-large" members.[95] Faith Mekonen from South County High School serves as the non-voting student representative.

Schools

[edit]

High schools

[edit]

Secondary schools

[edit]

Alternative high schools

[edit]

Middle schools

[edit]
Rachel Carson Middle School in Herndon

Elementary schools

[edit]

There are 141 elementary schools in Fairfax County:

Bonnie Brae Elementary School in Fairfax
Fairfax Villa Elementary School in Fairfax
Groveton Elementary School in Alexandria
Oak View Elementary School in Fairfax
Willow Springs Elementary School in Fairfax
Eagle View Elementary School in Fairfax
  • Buzz Aldrin Elementary School – Reston
  • Annandale Terrace Elementary School - Annandale
  • Louise Archer Elementary School – Vienna
  • Armstrong Elementary School – Reston
  • Bailey's Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences – Bailey's Crossroads
  • Bailey's Upper Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences – Falls Church
  • Beech Tree Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Belle View Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Belvedere Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Bonnie Brae Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Braddock Elementary School – Annandale
  • Bren Mar Park Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Brookfield Elementary School –Chantilly
  • Bucknell Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Bull Run Elementary School – Centreville
  • Bush Hill Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Camelot Elementary School – Annandale
  • Cameron Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Canterbury Woods Elementary School – Annandale
  • Cardinal Forest Elementary School – West Springfield
  • Centre Ridge Elementary School – Centreville
  • Centreville Elementary School – Centreville
  • Cherry Run Elementary School – Burke
  • Chesterbrook Elementary School – McLean
  • Churchill Road Elementary School – McLean
  • Clearview Elementary School – Herndon
  • Clermont Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Coates Elementary School – Herndon
  • Colin Powell Elementary School – Centreville
  • Columbia Elementary School – Annandale
  • Colvin Run Elementary School – Vienna
  • Crestwood Elementary School – Springfield
  • A. Scott Crossfield Elementary School – Herndon
  • Cub Run Elementary School – Centreville
  • Cunningham Park Elementary School – Vienna
  • Daniels Run Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Deer Park Elementary School – Centreville
  • Dogwood Elementary School – Reston
  • Dranesville Elementary School – Herndon
  • Eagle View Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Fairfax Villa Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Fairhill Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Fairview Elementary School – Fairfax Station
  • Flint Hill Elementary School – Vienna
  • Floris Elementary School – Herndon
  • Forest Edge Elementary School – Reston
  • Forestdale Elementary School – Springfield
  • Forestville Elementary School – Great Falls
  • Fort Belvoir Elementary School – Fort Belvoir
  • Fort Belvoir Upper Elementary School – Fort Belvoir
  • Fort Hunt Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Fox Mill Elementary School – Herndon
  • Franconia Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Franklin Sherman Elementary School – McLean
  • Freedom Hill Elementary School – Vienna
  • Garfield Elementary School – Springfield
  • Glen Forest Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Graham Road Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Great Falls Elementary School – Great Falls
  • Greenbriar East Elementary School – Chantilly
  • Greenbriar West Elementary School – Chantilly
  • Groveton Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Gunston Elementary School – Lorton
  • William Halley Elementary School – Fairfax Station
  • Haycock Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Hayfield Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Herndon Elementary School – Herndon
  • Hollin Meadows Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Hunt Valley Elementary School – Springfield
  • Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences – Reston
  • Hutchison Elementary School – Herndon
  • Hybla Valley Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Island Creek Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Keene Mill Elementary School – West Springfield
  • Kent Gardens Elementary School – McLean
  • Kings Glen Elementary School – Springfield
  • Kings Park Elementary School – Springfield
  • Lake Anne Elementary School – Reston
  • Anthony T. Lane Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Laurel Hill Elementary School – Lorton
  • Laurel Ridge Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Lees Corner Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Lemon Road Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Little Run Elementary School – Fairfax
  • London Towne Elementary School – Centreville
  • Lorton Station Elementary School – Lorton
  • Lynbrook Elementary School – Springfield
  • Mantua Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Marshall Road Elementary School – Vienna
  • Mason Crest Elementary School – Annandale
  • McNair Elementary School – Herndon
  • McNair Upper Elementary School – Herndon
  • Mosaic Elementary School – Fairfax (formerly Mosby Woods)
  • Mount Eagle Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Navy Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Newington Forest Elementary School – Springfield
  • North Springfield Elementary School – North Springfield
  • Oak Hill Elementary School – Herndon
  • Oak View Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Oakton Elementary School – Oakton
  • Olde Creek Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Orange Hunt Elementary School – Springfield
  • Parklawn Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Pine Spring Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Poplar Tree Elementary School – Chantilly
  • Providence Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Ravensworth Elementary School – Springfield
  • Riverside Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Rolling Valley Elementary School – West Springfield
  • Rose Hill Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Sangster Elementary School – Springfield
  • Saratoga Elementary School – Springfield
  • Shrevewood Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Silverbrook Elementary School – Fairfax Station
  • Sleepy Hollow Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Spring Hill Elementary School – McLean
  • Springfield Estates Elementary School – Springfield
  • Stenwood Elementary School – Vienna
  • Stratford Landing Elementary School – Fort Hunt
  • Sunrise Valley Elementary School – Reston
  • Terra Centre Elementary School – Burke
  • Terraset Elementary School – Reston
  • Timber Lane Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Union Mill Elementary School – Clifton
  • Vienna Elementary School – Vienna
  • Virginia Run Elementary School – Centreville
  • Wakefield Forest Elementary School – Annandale
  • Waples Mill Elementary School – Oakton
  • Washington Mill Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Waynewood Elementary School – Alexandria
  • West Springfield Elementary School
  • Westbriar Elementary School – Vienna
  • Westgate Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Westlawn Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Weyanoke Elementary School – Alexandria
  • White Oaks Elementary School – Burke
  • Willow Springs Elementary School – Fairfax
  • Wolftrap Elementary School – Vienna
  • Woodburn Elementary School – Falls Church
  • Woodlawn Elementary School – Alexandria
  • Woodley Hills Elementary School – Alexandria

Special education centers

[edit]
  • Burke School
  • Camelot Center
  • Cedar Lane School
  • Davis Career Center
  • Key Center
  • Kilmer Center
  • Mount Vernon Center
  • Pulley Career Center
  • Quander Road School

Interagency alternative schools

[edit]
  • Adult Detention Center
  • Boys Probation House
  • Foundations (formerly Girls Probation House)[96]
  • GRANTS (GED Readiness and New Technology Skills)
  • Gunston School at South County
  • Hillwood School at East County
  • Independent Study Program
  • Merrifield Day
  • Nontraditional Career Readiness Academy (NCRA): West Potomac, Edison, Spring Village, and Falls Church
  • Sager School
  • Shelter Care II (formerly Less Secure Shelter)[96]
  • Transition Support Resource Center (TSRC): Annandale High School, Bryant Alternative High School, Fairfax High School, George C. Marshall High School, South County High School, South Lakes High School, Robinson Secondary School, Westfield High School

Former schools

[edit]
Crouch School House
  • Cedar Lane Elementary School
  • Clifton High School
  • Clifton Elementary School
  • Crouch School House
  • Dunn Loring Elementary School
  • Edsall Park Elementary School (now the Plum Center for Lifelong Learning)
  • Green Acres Elementary School (now owned by the City of Fairfax Parks & Recreation)
  • James Lee Elementary School (now the James Lee Community Center)
  • Lewinsville Elementary School
  • Pimmit Hills Elementary School (now the Pimmit Hills Center for Adult Education)
  • Pine Ridge Elementary School
  • Walnut Hill Elementary School (now the Leis Center)
  • Westmore Elementary School

Schools for Black children:

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Fairfax County Public Schools". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "About FCPSm". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Fairfax County Public Schools Quality Profile". Virginia Department of Education. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  4. ↑ name="auto1">"Fairfax County Public School Board Members". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Fairfax County Public School Board Members". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  6. ↑ "About FCPS". Fairfax County Public Schools. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Fairfax County Public Schools Quality Profile". Virginia Department of Education. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "2020 Census - Census Block Map: Merrifield CDP, VA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 6, 2024. Match with full address. 2010 map.
    "Home". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved September 6, 2024. Gatehouse Administration Center 8115 Gatehouse Road Falls Church, VA 22042. This place is not in the independent city of Falls Church; City of Falls Church zoning map. In Virginia, cities are not within counties.
  9. ↑ "Fairfax County Public Schools Showcase Success in the First Year of Virginia's New School Performance and Support Framework". Fairfax County Public Schools. June 9, 2025. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  10. ↑ Virginia State Board of Education. "Code of Virginia, Administrative Code, Chapter 132: Virginia Standards of Accreditation". Virginia Law. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Table 215.30. Enrollment, poverty, and federal funds for the 120 largest school districts, by enrollment size in 2021: School year 2019-20 and fiscal year 2022". Digest of Education Statistics 2022. U.S. Department of Education: Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics. May 2023. Retrieved March 2, 2026.
  12. ↑ Kleinman, Avery. "Fairfax County Schools Names Its New Superintendent Despite Community Pushback". DCist. Archived from the original on April 17, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Dr. Michelle Reid Sworn in as Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent (Video Included)". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  14. 1 2 3 Gott, John K.; Hogan, Katherine S. (January 1976). "Chapter II: Fairfax County Public School – A Brief History" (PDF). In Wrenn, Tony P.; Peters, Virginia B.; Sprouse, Edith Moore (eds.). Legato School: A Centennial Souvenir. pp. 15–36. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 19, 2015.
  15. 1 2 Wrenn, Tony P. (1976). Legato School: A Centennial Souvenir. Fairfax County History Commission. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
  16. 1 2 3 "Civil Rights U.S.A.: Public Schools of Southern States, 1962" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  17. ↑ "A history of Luther P. Jackson High School: a report of a case study on the development of a Black high school". Virginia Tech Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Virginia Tech. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Duke, Daniel Linden (2005). Education Empire. Albany: State University of New York Press. ISBN 9780791464939. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  19. ↑ Guinn, Muriel (February 16, 1958). "'Happy School' Is Aim of Principal At Only All-Negro High in Fairfax". The Washington Post. ProQuest 148960380.
  20. ↑ Schulte, Brigid (September 1, 2005). "Lessons From Past Echoing In Schools". Retrieved January 12, 2018 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
  21. ↑ "FCPS school board minutes – Sept 20th 1955" (PDF). fcps.edu. Fairfax County Public School Board. September 20, 1955. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  22. 1 2 Duke, Daniel L. (July 2005). Education Empire: The Evolution of an Excellent Suburban School System. State University of New York Press. p. 18. ISBN 0-7914-6493-8. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Blakeney v. Fairfax County School Board, 226 F. Supp. 713 (1964)". Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  24. ↑ Mays, David John (January 12, 2018). Race, Reason, and Massive Resistance: The Diary of David J. Mays, 1954–1959. University of Georgia Press. ISBN 9780820330259. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2018 – via Google Books.
  25. 1 2 Grundman, Adolph H. (January 1, 1972). "Public School Desegregation in Virginia from 1954 to the Present". digitalcommons.wayne.edu. Wayne State University. pp. 328–330. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
  26. ↑ "Bill Would Ban US Aides from School Boards". The Washington Post. February 19, 1956.
  27. ↑ Bowie, Carole H. (August 29, 1960). "Opening of 8 Schools Tests Ambitious Plan". The Washington Post. ProQuest 141070397.
  28. ↑ Chapman, William (September 2, 1960). "1st Negroes Join Classes In Fairfax". The Washington Post. ProQuest 141057047.
  29. ↑ Bowie, Carole H. (November 2, 1960). "W. T. Woodson to Resign Fairfax School Position". The Washington Post. ProQuest 141155017.
  30. ↑ "Fairfax Names Head of Schools". The Washington Post. April 5, 1961. ProQuest 141324002.
  31. ↑ "School Services Agreement with FCPS". City of Fairfax Schools. September 1, 2013. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  32. ↑ "School Chiefs Are Chosen In Fairfax". The Washington Post. December 5, 1967. ProQuest 143065580.
  33. ↑ Jacoby, Susan (September 19, 1968). "Fairfax Schools Go Streamlined". The Washington Post. ProQuest 143312479.
  34. 1 2 Klose, Kevin (May 2, 1969). "New York Educator Appointed To Head Fairfax School System". The Washington Post. ProQuest 147680430.
  35. ↑ Klose, Kevin (January 10, 1969). "Funderburk to Quit Fairfax School Post". The Washington Post. ProQuest 147742722.
  36. ↑ Curry, William N. (May 29, 1970). "Negro to Head Fairfax High School". The Washington Post. ProQuest 147844795.
  37. ↑ "Fairfax Schools Chief Lawrence Watts, 44, Dies". The Washington Post. June 16, 1970. ProQuest 147849742.
  38. ↑ Bredemeier, Kenneth (June 20, 1970). "Fairfax Names Morris Acting Chief of Schools". The Washington Post. ProQuest 147838305.
  39. ↑ "System Gets Local Man, Spear Davis". The Washington Post. September 24, 1970. ProQuest 147821456.
  40. ↑ Grubisich, Thomas (May 12, 1977). "Fairfax school bond: Uncertain fate". The Washington Post. ProQuest 146732916.
  41. ↑ Rosenfeld, Megan (May 14, 1976). "Fairfax Schools Vote Textbook Rental Fee". The Washington Post. ProQuest 146393713.
  42. ↑ Hansard, Sara E. (July 23, 1976). "Fairfax Kills Rental Fee on Textbooks". The Washington Post. ProQuest 146606733.
  43. 1 2 Locke, Maggie (October 19, 1978). "Fairfax County Schools Enforce Standardized Grading Scale". The Washington Post. ProQuest 146846579.
  44. ↑ Locke, Maggie; Selden, Ina Lee (February 9, 1979). "Fairfax Schools Adopt $279 Million Budget". The Washington Post. ProQuest 147048503.
  45. ↑ Knight, Athelia (April 25, 1979). "Teachers in Fairfax Adopt Work-to-the-Rule Stance". The Washington Post. ProQuest 146937153.
  46. ↑ Knight, Athelia; Selden, Ina Lee (April 27, 1979). "Va. Teachers Slow After-School Activity". The Washington Post. ProQuest 147024263.
  47. ↑ Knight, Athelia (May 7, 1979). "A Superintendent Under Fire". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  48. ↑ Frankel, Glenn; Selden, Ina Lee (May 19, 1979). "Davis Gets High Va. Post: Fairfax Superintendent Named To Top State Education Job". The Washington Post. ProQuest 147016124.
  49. ↑ Selden, Ina Lee (May 25, 1979). "Fairfax Replaces Superintendent". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  50. ↑ Dougherty, Kerry (November 20, 1979). "Florida Educator Named by Fairfax To Head Schools". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  51. ↑ Dougherty, Kerry (January 17, 1980). "Fla. City Delighted As Fairfax Takes Its School Chief". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  52. 1 2 Dougherty, Kerry (April 10, 1980). "Grappling With School Closings". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  53. ↑ Dougherty, Kerry (April 24, 1980). "Eight Fairfax Schools May Close". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  54. ↑ Dougherty, Kerry (May 23, 1980). "Fairfax Board Votes to Close 7 Schools as Angry Crowd Boos". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  55. ↑ Dougherty, Kerry (May 29, 1980). "School Closings Get Low Marks in Fairfax". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  56. ↑ Dougherty, Kerry (June 12, 1980). "Fairfax: Something for Everyone In Fairfax School Year". The Washington Post. ProQuest 147312625.
  57. ↑ Dougherty, Kerry (January 9, 1981). "Fairfax School Superintendent Accepts 4-Year Contract". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  58. ↑ Dougherty, Kerry (January 6, 1981). "Textbook Fee Proposed for Fairfax Schools". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  59. ↑ Dougherty, Kerry (January 27, 1981). "Textbook Rental Plan Is Scrapped". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  60. ↑ Moore, Molly (June 25, 1982). "Fairfax School Superintendent Quits After Fight With Board". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  61. ↑ Moore, Molly (June 26, 1982). "Board Ousted Fairfax School Chief". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  62. ↑ Baker, Peter (April 26, 1991). "Fairfax Approves Restructured Middle Schools". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  63. ↑ Brown, DeNeen L. (March 12, 1993). "Fairfax County School Board Abandons Merit Pay System". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 18, 2015.
  64. 1 2 Smith, Marie (August 19, 1955). "Fairfax Will Increase Classes for Retarded". The Washington Post. ProQuest 148636220.
  65. ↑ Times, Collin Cope / Fairfax County (September 30, 2022). "Special needs students' parents file suit against FCPS and VDOE". Fairfax County Times. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  66. ↑ "Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Virginia Department of Education and Fairfax County School Board; Alleges Civil Rights Violation of Students Who Have Special Needs". January 25, 2023. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  67. ↑ Natanson, Hannah (December 1, 2022). "U.S. says Fairfax schools failed students with disabilities amid pandemic". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  68. ↑ "U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights Announces Resolution of Investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, Related to the Needs of Students with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic". www.ed.gov. Retrieved August 12, 2023.
  69. ↑ "Home page". Fairfax County Public Schools. February 24, 2001. Retrieved April 3, 2009.
  70. ↑ "Fairfax city, Virginia". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 18, 2005. Retrieved April 3, 2009.
  71. ↑ Glod, Maria (March 16, 2006). "Schools Offices Under One Roof; Consolidation Aimed at Uniting Staff, Bringing Multimillion-Dollar Savings". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  72. ↑ "Fairfax County Public Schools - Virginia School Quality Profiles". Virginia School Quality Profiles. Archived from the original on February 14, 2026. Retrieved March 15, 2026.
  73. ↑ Kelley R. Taylor (March 20, 2018). "Schools Have an Eye on Access". District Administration. Archived from the original on May 7, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  74. ↑ "Chair Walberg Launches Nationwide Investigation into Antisemitism in K-12 Schools". Committee on Education and Workforce. November 24, 2025. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  75. ↑ "Fairfax County letter" (PDF). Committee on Education and Workforce. November 24, 2025. Retrieved November 28, 2025.
  76. ↑ "Fairfax County Public Schools". Fairfax County Public Schools. July 7, 2026. Retrieved July 7, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  77. ↑ "Advanced Placement® (AP)". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
  78. ↑ "International Baccalaureate® (IB) Middle Years Program (MYP)". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
  79. ↑ "Online Campus". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
  80. ↑ "Academies and Specialized Programs". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
  81. ↑ Chandler, Michael Alison; Birnbaum, Michael (January 3, 2009). "Fairfax Schools Chief Wants to Keep Grading System". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  82. ↑ Dale, Jack (January 8, 2009). "Review of Grading Regulations". Fairfax County Public Schools School Board eGovernance System. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2009.
  83. 1 2 Sabo, Linda (January 23, 2009). "School Board Action 1–22–09". Fairfax County Public Schools School Board eGovernance System. Retrieved January 24, 2009.[dead link]
  84. ↑ "FCPS – Instructional Services Department". fcps.edu. Archived from the original on September 1, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  85. 1 2 St. George, Donna (February 20, 2011). "Suicide turns attention to Fairfax discipline procedures". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
  86. ↑ Fisher, Marc (April 5, 2009). "Unbending Rules on Drugs in Schools Drive One Teen to the Breaking Point". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  87. ↑ "Colbert's War On Birth Control". Huffington Post. September 3, 2009. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  88. ↑ St. George, Donna (February 11, 2011). "School Superintendent Jack D. Dale defended Fairfax County's discipline policies". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 22, 2011.
  89. ↑ Carey, Julie (April 9, 2013). "Tempers Flare Over Fairfax County Public Schools Discipline Policy". NBC 4. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  90. ↑ Carey, Julie (January 23, 2012). "Teen's Suicide Leads to School Discipline Legislation". NBC 4. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  91. ↑ Shapiro, T. Rees (June 7, 2013). "Fairfax School Board changes discipline process". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  92. ↑ "Miyares launches investigation into Fairfax Co. school over merit delay, admission process". WJLA. January 4, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  93. ↑ "Dr. Michelle C. Reid". Fairfax County Public Schools.
  94. ↑ "Karl Frisch Becomes Fairfax County School Board Chair; Melanie Meren Elected Vice Chair | Fairfax County Public Schools". www.fcps.edu. July 13, 2024.
  95. ↑ "Fairfax County Public School Board Members". Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
  96. 1 2 "Court Programs and Services". fairfaxcounty.gov. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  97. ↑ Russell-Porte, p. xii.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fairfax_County_Public_Schools&oldid=1366235150"