Fairfax County Public Schools

Published August 1, 2025 at 3:45PM

2025-2026 School Board student representative Faith Hailu Mekonen (via FCPS)

The new student representative to the Fairfax County School Board is urging school leaders to enforce consistent standards, now that new restrictions on student phone use are being rolled out countywide.

Starting with the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, Fairfax County Public Schools will prohibit students in all grades from using their cell phones at any point during the day — with the exception of high school students during lunch. Teachers can also no longer incorporate phones into instructional activities.

News

FCPS receives $13 million held up for a month by Trump administration

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 31, 2025 at 1:45PM

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid informs the school board about frozen federal grant funds at a July 10, 2025 meeting (via FCPS/YouTube)

Fairfax County Public Schools has received millions in federal funding that was held up for nearly a month by the Trump administration.

FCPS spokesperson Julie Allen told FFXnow yesterday (Wednesday) that the school division has confirmed receipt of the $13.1 million in withheld funding.

Countywide

FCPS Pride urges schools not to comply with federal anti-trans demands

By Vernon Miles

Published July 29, 2025 at 11:45AM

A Trans Day of Visibility rally outside a school board meeting at Luther Jackson Middle School (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

FCPS Pride is urging Northern Virginia school districts to hold their ground after the Department of Education accused the schools’ trans-inclusive policies of violating Title IX.

Last week, the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) found Fairfax County Public Schools and nearby Arlington, Alexandria, Prince William and Loudoun school divisions in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The findings argue that letting students use bathrooms and other facilities consistent with their gender identity constitutes discrimination on the basis of sex.

Countywide

Education Department tells FCPS to rescind transgender-inclusive policies

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 25, 2025 at 3:50PM | Updated July 25, 2025 at 4:06PM

A community member waves an LGBTQ pride flag at the rally protesting Virginia's model policies on transgender students (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The U.S. Department of Education is pushing several Northern Virginia school districts, including Fairfax County Public Schools, to roll back their policies intended to support transgender students.

The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced today (Friday) that it has found FCPS and its counterparts in Arlington, Alexandria, Prince William and Loudoun in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, arguing that letting students use bathrooms and other facilities consistent with their gender identity constitutes discrimination on the basis of sex.

Countywide

UPDATED: Fairfax school board revises policy for phasing in boundary changes

By Angela Woolsey

Published July 15, 2025 at 11:45AM | Updated July 17, 2025 at 10:38PM

An interactive map showing draft scenarios for Fairfax County Public Schools' 2024-2026 boundary review (via FCPS)

As Fairfax County Public Schools continues to work through a sweeping redistricting process, the school board decided to revisit its policy on how the upcoming changes will be implemented.

Led by Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson, the Fairfax County School Board voted unanimously this Thursday (July 17) to revise the phasing policy that guides which students are affected by boundary adjustments.

News

Burke elementary school teacher loses license over child assault cases

By Jared Serre

Published July 10, 2025 at 2:45PM

White Oaks Elementary School in Burke (via Google Maps)

A former teacher at White Oaks Elementary School in Burke will surrender her teaching license amid accusations that she physically assaulted students at the school.

Elizabeth Yoshimi Nagagata, who previously worked as a special education teacher at the school, entered an Alford plea on June 18 to two misdemeanor counts of assault & battery, allowing her to plead guilty while maintaining her innocence.

News

Fairfax County government, public school workers awarded for service to residents

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 3, 2025 at 3:45PM

Recipients of 2025 A. Heath Onthank Awards (courtesy Fairfax County)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors honored three individuals on June 24 with the 2025 A. Heath Onthank Award, the highest honor for county government and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) employees.

Saluted for their outstanding service to county residents were:

News

Fairfax leaders start hunting new locations for student-built housing initiative

By Scott McCaffrey

Published July 1, 2025 at 9:15AM | Updated July 1, 2025 at 9:47AM

A Spring Village Estates home constructed by Edison Academy students in Fairfax County Public Schools' FATE program (via Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk)

The future of an acclaimed program that gives local students real-world construction management skills may hinge on finding enough open space to build more houses.

At a June 24 meeting, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay urged his colleagues to scout for potential tracts of land to continue the collaboration between Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), the Foundation for Applied Technical Education (FATE) and industry partners.

News

Fairfax school board paves path for razing derelict former Clifton elementary school

By Scott McCaffrey

Published June 30, 2025 at 10:00AM

Aerial view of Clifton Elementary School in 1997 (Fairfax County GIS & Mapping Services via FCPS)

Fifteen years after Clifton Elementary School shut its doors, Fairfax County Public Schools leaders are at last taking steps toward demolishing it.

“It’s time we close this chapter,” at-large Fairfax County School Board member Kyle McDaniel said as the board debated taking action to officially declare the building uninhabitable last Thursday (June 26).

Countywide

Fairfax to seek voter approval of $460M in school bonds this November

By Scott McCaffrey

Published June 30, 2025 at 8:30AM

Fairfax County Public Schools (file photo)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is seeking the county circuit court’s approval for a $460 million school bond referendum to be included on the Nov. 4 ballot.

The Fairfax County School Board formally requested on June 12 that the supervisors approve a referendum, a request that was granted without comment at a board meeting last Tuesday (June 24).