Michelle Reid | FFXnow

Published November 13, 2025 at 8:30AM | Updated November 13, 2025 at 9:02AM

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid discusses the upcoming budget season at a school board work session on Nov. 12, 2025 (screenshot via FCPS)

While acknowledging a request for more funding is on the horizon, the chair of Fairfax County’s School Board says she is eager to avoid a repeat of budget clashes earlier this year between her body and the Board of Supervisors.

Springfield District School Board member Sandy Anderson, who rotated in as chair over the summer, said Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) leaders need to be realistic about the current state of fiscal affairs, and considerate of the choices supervisors will need to make next spring.

Countywide

FCPS students report improved mental health in new county youth survey

By Scott McCaffrey

Published October 28, 2025 at 8:30AM

Students walk down a school hallway (via FCPS/YouTube)

Fairfax County school leaders see signs of improving mental health, but also some ongoing red flags, in the county’s most recent youth survey.

“This is always a bittersweet report to read,” at-large Fairfax County School Board member Kyle McDaniel said after Superintendent Michelle Reid detailed the report’s findings at the board meeting last Thursday (Oct. 23).

News

NEW: Evidence for abortion assistance allegations appears fabricated, FCPS says

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 17, 2025 at 8:30AM

Centreville High School sign (via Google Maps)

Claims that a social worker at Centreville High School pressured students into obtaining abortions without informing their guardians appear to be baseless, attorneys hired by Fairfax County Public Schools say.

A preliminary investigation found not only that the teacher who made the allegations may have withheld and fabricated evidence, but that state officials might have been made aware of the allegations well before they were publicly reported, King & Spalding partner Sean Royall said in statements sent yesterday (Thursday) to the U.S. Department of Education and Sen. Bill Cassidy, who chairs the Senate education committee.

Countywide

FCPS seeks to speed up lawsuit over federal funding freeze

By Angela Woolsey

Published October 7, 2025 at 8:30AM

Fairfax County Public Schools (file photo)

Fairfax County Public Schools is asking an appeals court to accelerate proceedings in its lawsuit over the U.S. Education Department cutting it off from federal funds.

The request filed last Thursday (Oct. 2) came a day after a three-judge panel with the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously denied the school system’s bid to stop the federal government from freezing or canceling any more funds while the case is in court.

News

FCPS: Immigration raid fears may be contributing to lower student enrollment

By Scott McCaffrey

Published October 1, 2025 at 8:30AM

Fairfax County Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid (staff photo by Jared Serre)

Fairfax County school leaders are paying careful attention to start-of-school enrollment figures, attempting to determine if the Trump administration’s immigration policies are leading some families to keep their children at home.

“Some students are a bit reluctant to be in school at this time,” Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid told school board members during a Sept. 25 report on the first month of classes.

Countywide

FCPS bus driver vacancies down, leading to improved on-time performance

By Scott McCaffrey

Published September 29, 2025 at 1:45PM

School buses lined up at South County High School (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Fairfax County Public Schools has managed to significantly reduce its bus driver vacancies, which in turn is bumping up on-time rates.

As part of her “Opening of Schools” report, Superintendent Michelle Reid reported last Thursday (Sept. 25) that 96% of bus routes were completed on time to start the current school year — a figure that astounded some School Board members.

Countywide

FCPS Superintendent provides community update on battle with Department of Education

By Vernon Miles

Published September 16, 2025 at 1:50PM | Updated September 22, 2025 at 11:59AM

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

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent (FCPS) Michelle Reid sent a message to the school community explaining more about the ongoing legal fight with the U.S. Department of Education (DOE).

Earlier this month, a federal judge in Alexandria dismissed a lawsuit the Fairfax and Arlington school boards filed against the DOE after the federal department froze their funding. The DOE put the schools on “high risk” status and restricted their access to federal funds after they refused to rescind policies allowing students to use bathrooms and other facilities that match their gender identity.

Countywide

Fairfax will hire security for its superintendent. Could Va. see this elsewhere?

By Nathaniel Cline / Virginia Mercury

Published August 19, 2025 at 8:30AM

Superintendent Michelle Reid (staff file photo by James Jarvis)

With friction growing between the public and school leaders over policy decisions, Fairfax County Public Schools is in the process of hiring security for its superintendent due to the need for additional protection over safety concerns.

The move has left legislative leaders curious if similar proposals could occur at other school divisions around the region and beyond, as school leaders continue to be challenged by the public and face investigations for their decisions.

Countywide

BREAKING: FCPS rejects Trump administration demand that it scrap trans-inclusive policies

By Angela Woolsey

Published August 15, 2025 at 3:50PM | Updated August 15, 2025 at 8:44PM

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

Fairfax County Public Schools is joining its counterparts across Northern Virginia in rejecting the Trump administration’s demands that it rescind policies supporting transgender and gender-nonconforming students.

In a message to FCPS staff and families, Superintendent Michelle Reid says she has sent a response to the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) defending the school system’s policies as consistent with existing state and federal law, requesting that the federal government pause any further action until the issue is “clarified” by the courts.

News

Fairfax school board split on when to address overcrowded elementary schools

By Scott McCaffrey

Published March 18, 2025 at 9:00AM

Parklawn Elementary School (staff photo by James Jarvis)

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.