Arlington Public Schools return to class for start of 2025 school year

First day of school in Arlington

Students in Arlington are heading back to class! FOX 5?s Stephanie Ramirez has the latest as students get ready for the start of the 2025 school year!

ARLINGTON, Va. - As proof of their excitement for their final year, several dozen high school seniors gathered on Washington Liberty High School's football field at least three hours before the first bell, to participate in a yearly APS tradition called: "Senior Sunrise!"

But just like it's also been for other area school districts, many parents and students understand this new beginning may not be "back to business as usual" for the 2025-2026 school year.

The federal government's impacts on D.C. Public Schools and multiple districts neighboring D.C. are being felt in more ways than one. 

An example given Monday, APS Spokesperson Frank Bellavia confirmed instead of hitting the projected 29,000 student population this school year, APS' student population has actually gone down by about 500 students, due in part to the Trump Administration's moves to shrink the federal government. 

Another issue is the Title IX battle and the U.S. Department of Education's Threat to pull federal funding if APS and four other northern Virginia school districts do not change their transgender bathroom/facility policies.  APS is among five northern Virginia School District now placed in a "High Risk" category for not changing their stance. 

What we know:

In Arlington, Virginia's Republican Candidate for Governor and current state Lieutenant Governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, spoke against the transgender bathroom/facility policies during the public comment period at last week's Arlington County School Board meeting, referring to the policies in place as "reckless."  

READ MORE: Arlington County school board meeting sparks protest over transgender bathroom policies

The Lt. Governor spoke with afterword to FOX 5, describing the school system as asking boys and girls to be together, nude. FOX 5 asked APS Superintendent Francisco Durán his thoughts as he was watching Lt. Gov. Earle-Sears share her comments.

"What's going through my mind is everyone needs to understand that this is a — we're a safe space. We want to create spaces for all of our students to feel welcome. We have a lot of different policies in place. We have a policy, for example, that when students go in for PE, they don't have to undress. So, it's their choice," said Dr. Francisco Durán in some of his comments, "We have opportunities to make sure students for safe in what bathrooms they use, so we're thinking about all students in that — and again, trying to make sure we follow the law. Title IX, the Fourth Circuit is very clear, Virginia Values Act is very clear ..."

Sharing his conversation with his child about these matters, Harry Johnson told FOX 5, "The conversation I have is just that we need to take it slow and see how it plays out. And not buy into a lot of what's going on in the media. Listen to the facts that come out and not spread rumors and things like that."

Another federal matter APS is impacted by is the Trump Administration's immigration crackdown. APS leadership says their policy remains the same. ICE will need a warrant before being allowed to enter a school building with the school system telling children they believe the safest place for them is in school. 

This year, some APS-specific changes include expanded cell phone bans during the school day. APS high schoolers will be instructed to use a secure Yonder Pouch to store devices. 

APS educators will also be incorporating AI into their lessons, by instructing students to use AI a certain way in order to complete an assignment. The school system's leader believes this will help students use critical thinking skills instead of just turning to AI to write a paper. 

Several of the students in attendance for the Washington Liberty "Senior Sunrise" were just excited to get back to friends and focus on transitioning to their young adult lives. 

"I think what's different for me this year is really again, making sure that we can do all that we can to help our teachers and our students stay focused on instruction and being just a student. Because there's a lot of distractions. Whether it was immigration or political discussions that are overheated right now in our community in our nation. And helping students just come back to being a student again and enjoy learning — and now feel afraid to come to school. Not feel concerned about what for — as a teacher — what you're teaching: what you can teach; what you can teach. For me, I take that as a huge responsibility as a Superintendent," said Dr. Durán.