Countywide

The U.S. Department of Education is investigating Fairfax County Public Schools over its admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ).

The department announced today (Thursday) that it has opened an investigation into whether policy changes designed to diversify the magnet school’s student body violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race.


Countywide

The battle over Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology’s student admissions policy isn’t quite over after all.

More than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court passed on an opportunity to weigh in, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares accused Fairfax County Public Schools today (Wednesday) of “intentional” discrimination against Asian American students applying to the magnet school in Annandale.


Countywide

Hundreds of Fairfax County Public Schools students could be directed to different schools under initial redistricting scenarios developed as part of a systemwide boundary review.

The Connecticut-based firm Thru Consulting, which was hired by the Fairfax County School Board last September, will present its first draft of potential boundary changes at a series of community meetings starting tomorrow (Thursday).


Countywide

Fairfax County Public Schools staff will receive most, but not all, of their planned salary increases under a revised fiscal year 2026 budget proposal shared last week by Superintendent Michelle Reid.

However, in order to preserve as much of the promised raises as possible, some positions and services will be cut after the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors declined to approve Reid’s full funding request.


News

Graduation season is getting underway for college and high school students alike, which means an influx of traffic for people living around George Mason University.

GMU warns that “heavy traffic” is expected around its main Fairfax campus for the next month, with dozens of graduation ceremonies scheduled to take place at EagleBank Arena (4500 Patriot Circle).


Countywide

The Fairfax County School Board is considering a series of changes that might help cut down costs and other hurdles for new school projects.

During a work session on Tuesday (May 6), the school board and Fairfax County Public Schools staff discussed ways to reduce costs for new construction or share that burden with other entities — like through public-private partnerships or cost-sharing agreements.


Countywide

Fairfax County teachers’ elation at securing a collective bargaining agreement, the first of its kind in nearly 50 years for the district, has proven short-lived.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is set to adopt a budget for fiscal year 2026 that transfers $2.93 billion to Fairfax County Public Schools — up $119 million from the current fiscal year, but well short of the $248 million increase that Superintendent Michelle Reid requested primarily to cover employee pay raises promised by the union contract.


Countywide

A lower real estate tax rate, smaller transfer than school leaders sought and imposition of a meals tax are all part of Fairfax County’s $5.7 billion fiscal year 2026 budget slated for formal adoption next week.

“Our residents are worried” as they “prepare for the impact” of the Trump administration’s downsizing of the federal government and its related economic fallout, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said at a budget markup session today (Tuesday).


Countywide

A Fairfax County School Board member accused of defrauding a company he is a part owner of out of more than $1.5 million has stepped away as chairman of the board’s budget committee.

Kyle McDaniel, an at-large representative, no longer oversees the committee, having willingly ceded the position to vice chair Rachna Sizemore Heizer in recent weeks, he confirmed to FFXnow.


Countywide

Fairfax County Public Schools is one of two Virginia school divisions that reportedly declined to sign a form committing it to complying with federal anti-discrimination laws and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that barred race from being considered in college admissions.

Superintendent Michelle Reid instead sent a “modified certification and assurance document” to Virginia education leaders last week affirming FCPS’ compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Virginia Mercury reported yesterday morning (Tuesday).


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