More frustrations with FCPS’ school boundary review

Parents raise concerns over proposed school boundary changes

Parents in Fairfax County are voicing concerns after new school boundary proposals were introduced, raising questions about how the changes could affect key student services.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid presented her recommended School Boundary Review changes to the school board Thursday night. However, parents trying to participate didn’t get to hear the presentation until closer to 10 p.m., when many need to get themselves and their families out the door early the next day.

What we know:

Parents tell FOX 5 they feel they’ve been left in the dark throughout the Fairfax County Public Schools Boundary Review process, which will be finalized in just a couple of weeks.

School Board Member Dr. Ricardy Anderson told Dr. Reid her [Glasgow] community is frustrated. "... the explorer tool did not have the information, the time to give feedback, the community outreach, that was a big miss. Although I think what was provided are reasonable, the presentation — the rollout of that, it was a big miss for that community and there's a lot of — there's  a lot of resentment about that, so I just want to make sure that that's said to you here, because I know we've talked about this before." 

According to Thursday night’s presentation, Reid’s proposed School Boundary Review changes would affect about 2,210 students (1,174 elementary school students, 447 middle school students and 589 high school students). The superintendent's recommendations would eliminate or reduce nine elementary‑to‑middle‑school split feeders, 10 elementary‑to‑high‑school split feeders and six school attendance islands.

IMPORTANT NEXT DATES FOR PARENTS:

• Saturday, January 10, at 10 a.m.: The FCPS School Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed boundary changes at  Luther Jackson Middle School
• Tuesday, January 13, at 6 p.m.: The FCPS School Board will hold a public hearing on the Proposed FY 2027 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) at Luther Jackson Middle School. Parents may also register to give public testimony on the School Boundary Review. Overflow testimony for school boundaries will take place at the hearing as well. The Speaker’s List will close Friday, January 9, at 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday, January 22, at 7 p.m.: The FCPS School Board is scheduled to vote on the superintendent's Boundary Review recommendations

FOX 5’s Shirin Rajaee spoke with a parent upset to learn at the last minute that her child’s school, Beech Tree Elementary, would actually be split by proposed changes - and that some students would be split again after middle school.

The superintendent also identified schools that could be affected in the future.

At a Dec. 18 meeting, the school board rejected a motion based on Reid’s recommendation to stop busing the estimated 2,894 students eligible to stay at their current school after new boundaries are approved. The argument was that doing so would require hiring 57 new bus drivers and cost the district more than $10 million.

READ MORE: Parents speak out at hours-long meeting on Fairfax County Schools school boundary changes

Thursday night, Anderson asked Reid to provide updated figures, with the board slated to take the transportation question up in the near future. The board also discussed updating regulations to ensure the superintendent posts documents no later than five days in advance.

"Like , for instance, the boundary materials five days in advance — was before Tuesday when they came out, " said School Board Member Melanie Meren, who noted in comments that followed, "Now this can be adjusted. We have procedures to make changes. If someone wants to change the motion or add a document, that's fine. But we have had a lot of serious instances in the last few weeks where this as caused problems, particularly with Western High School when I thought we were voting on phasing and we were actually voting on transportation and the years of schools coming in."

According to FCPS: ​"School Board Policy 8130 requires that a comprehensive, division-wide review of school boundaries be conducted at least every five years by the Division Superintendent, and that any recommended adjustments be submitted to the School Board for approval."

A public hearing on the superintendent’s proposed recommendations is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 10. The school board will vote on the recommended changes Jan. 22.