A rally organized by local LGBTQ advocacy groups outside Luther Jackson Middle School in Merrifield last night (Thursday) served as both a celebration of the upcoming Transgender Day of Visibility and a call for solidarity.
During the half-hour rally, that solidarity manifested in dozens of passing vehicles honking in apparent support of the crowd, which had gathered ahead of a Fairfax County School Board meeting to support the trans community.
Update — The Fairfax County School Board voted unanimously at its March 27 meeting to approve Mason District Representative Ricardy Anderson’s motion for a pilot program to test later middle school start times.
Earlier: As the Fairfax County School Board continues weighing its options for bumping back middle school class times, one member says she wants to give her district a head start.
Key Republican leaders have Fairfax County in their sights over a proposal that would introduce instruction on gender identity at an elementary school level.
Elon Musk, the richest man in the world and a close ally of Donald Trump, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) shared a video of a parent who said they didn’t want to send their child to Fairfax County Public Schools as a result of the possible change.
Having successfully integrated boys volleyball and girls wrestling into its offerings, Fairfax County Public Schools appears to be eyeing girls’ flag football next.
There has been conversation among the division’s directors of student activities about potentially moving forward with the sport for the 2025-2026 school year, Superintendent Michelle Reid told the Fairfax County School Board at its March 13 meeting.
Nobody disputes that Parklawn Elementary School in Lincolnia and Coates Elementary School in the McNair area south of Herndon are severely overcrowded.
But whether to address the issue through individual boundary adjustments at the two schools this year — as proposed in a capital improvement program (CIP) approved last year — or wait for a countywide redistricting effort in 2026 is causing a fissure among Fairfax County School Board members.
After-school and summer programs that serve thousands of middle school students are at risk of ending under Fairfax County’s proposed budget.
To close a projected $292.7 million funding gap, County Executive Bryan Hill pitched a fiscal year 2026 budget last month that cuts nearly $60 million in spending and 208 staff positions across multiple agencies, affecting everything from public safety to housing assistance programs and park maintenance.
Fairfax County leaders met on Tuesday (Feb. 25) to address a growing school budget crisis, but after hours of debate, they left without a clear path forward.
Faced with rising costs and economic uncertainty heightened by threats of curtailed federal funding, officials agreed on support for Fairfax County Public Schools as a budget priority but remained divided on how to pay for it.
Virginia school boards may soon have more control over how cell phones and smart devices are governed in classrooms. Legislation granting local districts the authority to craft their own policies cleared the General Assembly on Friday and now heads to Gov. Glenn Youngkin for consideration.
House Bill 1961, introduced by Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, and its companion measure, Senate Bill 738 by Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax, comes amid growing concerns over the impact of smartphones on children’s health. While research has linked excessive phone use to adverse effects on students’ well-being, advocates also recognize the role devices play in providing educational resources and communication tools.
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) could face a significant funding gap as county leaders weigh a budget proposal that falls short of what the school system requested, while looming federal policy changes threaten to cut millions in aid.
On Tuesday (Feb. 18), County Executive Brian Hill unveiled a proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026 that includes $125.3 million in additional funding for schools, with $118.6 million going directly to FCPS’ operating budget.
Fairfax County School Board members are mulling whether to increase the number of student representatives on the body.
The proposal, currently in the exploratory stage, is part of a broader push toward more direct engagement with the 180,000-plus students enrolled in Fairfax County Public Schools.
