Fairfax County Public Schools

Fairfax County Public Schools
Address
8115 Gatehouse Road
Falls Church, Virginia 22042
Information
School type Public, school division
Founded 1870
School board Jane K. Strauss, Chairman
Ilryong Moon, Vice Chairman
Elizabeth T. Bradsher
Brad Center
Stuart D. Gibson
Martina A. Hone
Sandra S. Evans
Judith (Tessie) Wilson
James L. Raney
Kathy L. Smith
Daniel G. Storck
Eugene J. Coleman III, student representative
Superintendent Jack D. Dale
Staff 22,779 [1]
Grades Pre-K–12
Enrollment 177,629 [1]  (2010-2011)
Campus Suburban
Area Fairfax County, Virginia
Website

The Fairfax County Public Schools system (abbreviated FCPS) is a branch of the Fairfax County government which administers public schools in Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax. FCPS' headquarters is located at 8115 Gatehouse Road in an unincorporated section of the county near the city of Falls Church; the headquarters has a Falls Church address but is not within the city limits.[2]

With over 175,000 students enrolled, FCPS is the largest public school system in the Baltimore-Washington and Northern Virginia Metropolitan Area. The superintendent of schools is Jack D. Dale. The school division is the 11th largest school system in the nation[1] and maintains the largest school bus fleet of any school system in the United States.

The most notable commitment the county makes to its school system is the allocation of 53.5% of its 2011 fiscal budget to the school system.[3] Including state and federal government contributions, along with citizen and corporate contributions, this brings the 2010 fiscal budget for the school system to $2.2 billion.[1] The school system has estimated that, based on the 2010 fiscal budget, the county will invest $12,820 in each student during the 2010-2011 school year.[1]

Contents

History

The public school system in Fairfax County was created after the Civil War with the adoption by Virginia of a Reconstruction-era state constitution in 1870, which for the first time in Virginia guaranteed free public education. However, during the Jim Crow era, a racially-separate system was mandated by Virginia funding laws.

Fairfax County refused to let black students attend and bused them out of the county to Manassas.[4] Despite the 1954 Supreme court ruling to end racial segregation Fairfax County Schools did not allow any black students into designated white schools until 1960.[5]

The county school system was previously headquartered at 10700 Page Avenue in an unincorporated area of the county completely surrounded by the City of Fairfax.[6][7]

No contact rule

Kilmer Middle School, a school in the FCPS system, had a strict rule/policy of "no physical contact", meaning that contact such as high fives or hugs between friends were not allowed. The FCPS school system stood behind the rule and refused to rescind the rule. The issue was brought to light after a 13-year-old student was reprimanded for putting his arm around his girlfriend during a break, and his parents wrote to the Fairfax County School Board.[8][9][10][11][12][13]

On January 22, 2009, the FCPS School Board directed Superintendent Dale to report back to it with a new version of the grading scale by March 2009.[14] The Board also approved changing the weighting for Honors to 0.5 effective with the 2009-2010 school year and for AP and IB courses to 1.0 retroactively.[14]

Beginning September 2009, the grading system was changed to a 10 point grading system with plusses and minuses. In this new grading system students must have a 92 for an A, 90 for an A-, 88 for a B+, and so on. Students receive a 4.0 for A's, 3.7 for A-'s, 3.3 for B+'s, and so on. Students still must reach 64 to pass.

Controversy over disciplinary policies

Fairfax County Public Schools and Superintendent Dale have been criticized for the Fairfax County school system disciplinary process, which has been blamed for the recent suicides of two students: Josh Anderson, of South Lakes High School, took his life in March 2009; and Nick Stuban, a "model student" at W.T. Woodson High School, committed suicide on January 20, 2011.[15] On January 11, 2011, before the second suicide, Superintendent Dale had defended himself in a letter to the Fairfax County School Board and the Board of Supervisors. In that letter, Dale refused to admit that the disciplinary system needed to be reformed, and blamed the family of the first suicide victim for "unconscionable" actions and "furthering a falsehood" when they associated their son's suicide with the disciplinary process that had "crushed" his spirit.[16] To date, the Fairfax County Public Schools, the School Board, and Superintendent Dale have not made any public statements related to reforming the county's school discipline process.

Schools

FCPS High Schools' Rankings on Newsweek's
America's Top Public High Schools.[17][18]
School Name 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Annandale 623 516 862 924 960 1004 1279
Centreville 177 149 99 112 106 131 141
Chantilly 72 94 162 133 126 136 224
Edison 425 692 657 694 751 798 804
Fairfax 92 196 211 157 258 133 182
Falls Church 128 289 395 1323 390 198 486
Hayfield N/A N/A 356 783 806 510 567
Herndon 115 174 139 161 145 166 153
Langley 31 50 81 72 55 102 118
Lee 787 1019 1215 1323 801 812 1218
Madison 787 1019 123 141 152 199 144
Marshall 184 187 201 211 254 159 203
McLean 152 128 86 76 99 115 102
Mount Vernon 305 729 636 1323 1398 1217 1516
Oakton 143 103 105 103 105 157 158
South County N/A N/A N/A N/A 143 176 308
South Lakes 407 383 608 842 515 570 221
Stuart 230 371 368 458 330 285 446
West Potomac 108 403 295 198 221 270 550
West Springfield 145 141 155 172 250 263 280
Westfield 48 126 142 179 148 192 353
Woodson 23 34 91 65 74 72 92

The Newsweek rankings do not include Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology because it is a selective school. Newsweek recognized it as one of America's "public elite" high schools, having few or no average students.[19][20]

High schools

Secondary schools

Alternative high schools

Middle schools

Elementary schools

  • Buzz Aldrin Elementary School
  • Annandale Terrace Elementary School
  • Louise Archer Elementary School
  • Armstrong Elementary School
  • Bailey's Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences
  • Beech Tree Elementary School
  • Belle View Elementary School
  • Belvedere Elementary School
  • Bonnie Brae Elementary School
  • Braddock Elementary School
  • Bren Mar Park Elementary School
  • Brookfield Elementary School
  • Bucknell Elementary School
  • Bull Run Elementary School
  • Bush Hill Elementary School
  • Camelot Elementary School
  • Cameron Elementary School
  • Canterbury Woods Elementary School
  • Cardinal Forest Elementary School
  • Centre Ridge Elementary School
  • Centreville Elementary School
  • Cherry Run Elementary School
  • Chesterbrook Elementary School
  • Churchill Road Elementary School
  • Clearview Elementary School
  • Clermont Elementary School
  • Clifton Elementary School
  • Columbia Elementary School
  • Colvin Run Elementary School
  • Crestwood Elementary School
  • A. Scott Crossfield Elementary School
  • Cub Run Elementary School
  • Cunningham Park Elementary School
  • Daniels Run Elementary School
  • Deer Park Elementary School
  • Dogwood Elementary School
  • Dranesville Elementary School
  • Eagle View Elementary School
  • Fairfax Villa Elementary School
  • Fairhill Elementary School
  • Fairview Elementary School
  • Flint Hill Elementary School
  • Floris Elementary School
  • Forest Edge Elementary School
  • Forestdale Elementary School
  • Forestville Elementary School
  • Fort Belvoir Elementary School
  • Fort Hunt Elementary School
  • Fox Mill Elementary School
  • Franconia Elementary School
  • Franklin Sherman Elementary School
  • Freedom Hill Elementary School
  • Garfield Elementary School
  • Glen Forest Elementary School
  • Graham Road Elementary School
  • Great Falls Elementary School
  • Greenbriar East Elementary School
  • Greenbriar West Elementary School
  • Groveton Elementary School
  • Gunston Elementary School
  • William Halley Elementary School
  • Haycock Elementary School
  • Hayfield Elementary School
  • Herndon Elementary School
  • Hollin Meadows Elementary School
  • Hunt Valley Elementary School
  • Hunters Woods Elementary School for the Arts and Sciences
  • Hutchison Elementary School
  • Hybla Valley Elementary School
  • Island Creek Elementary School
  • Keene Mill Elementary School
  • Kent Gardens Elementary School
  • Kings Glen Elementary School
  • Kings Park Elementary School
  • Lake Anne Elementary School
  • Anthony T. Lane Elementary School
  • Laurel Ridge Elementary School
  • Lees Corner Elementary School
  • Lemon Road Elementary School
  • Little Run Elementary School
  • London Towne Elementary School
  • Lorton Station Elementary School
  • Lynbrook Elementary School
  • Mantua Elementary School
  • Marshall Road Elementary School
  • McNair Elementary School
  • Mosby Woods Elementary School
  • Mount Eagle Elementary School
  • Mount Vernon Woods Elementary School
  • Navy Elementary School
  • Newington Forest Elementary School
  • North Springfield Elementary School
  • Oak Hill Elementary School
  • Oak View Elementary School
  • Oakton Elementary School
  • Olde Creek Elementary School
  • Orange Hunt Elementary School
  • Parklawn Elementary School
  • Pine Spring Elementary School
  • Poplar Tree Elementary School
  • Colin L. Powell Elementary School
  • Providence Elementary School
  • Ravensworth Elementary School
  • Riverside Elementary School
  • Rolling Valley Elementary School
  • Rose Hill Elementary School
  • Sangster Elementary School
  • Saratoga Elementary School
  • Shrevewood Elementary School
  • Silverbrook Elementary School
  • Sleepy Hollow Elementary School
  • Spring Hill Elementary School
  • Springfield Estates Elementary School
  • Stenwood Elementary School
  • Stratford Landing Elementary School
  • Sunrise Valley Elementary School
  • Terra Centre Elementary School
  • Terraset Elementary School
  • Timber Lane Elementary School
  • Union Mill Elementary School
  • Vienna Elementary School
  • Virginia Hills Elementary School
  • Virginia Run Elementary School
  • Wakefield Forest Elementary School
  • Waples Mill Elementary School
  • Washington Mill Elementary School
  • Waynewood Elementary School
  • West Springfield Elementary School
  • Westbriar Elementary School
  • Westgate Elementary School
  • Westlawn Elementary School
  • Weyanoke Elementary School
  • White Oaks Elementary School
  • Willow Springs Elementary School
  • Wolftrap Elementary School
  • Woodburn Elementary School for the Fine and Communicative Arts
  • Woodlawn Elementary School
  • Woodley Hills Elementary School

Special education centers

  • Burke Center
  • Camelot Center
  • Cedar Lane School
  • Davis Career Center
  • Key Center
  • Kilmer Center
  • Mount Vernon Center
  • Pulley Career Center
  • Quander Road School

Interagency Alternative Schools

  • Adult Detention Center
  • Boys Probation House
  • Care Connection for Children
  • Compass Day School
  • Computer Enhanced Instruction Program
  • Crossroads Residential Program
  • Devonshire Center
  • Elizabeth Blackwell School
  • Enterprise School
  • Falls Bridge School
  • Girls Probation House
  • GRANTS (GED Readiness and New Technology Skills)
  • Gunston School at South County Juvenile Court
  • Hickory Grove School
  • Hillwood School at East County Juvenile Court
  • Horizons Day School
  • Independent Study Program
  • Juvenile Detention Center
  • Less Secure Shelter Home
  • Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute
  • Northern Virginia Sickle Cell Center at Inova
  • Northwest Center
  • Sager School
  • Sojourn House
  • Sunrise House
  • Transition Support Resource Center
  • Vista Day School at South County Juvenile Court

Transportation

FCPS operates a fleet of close to 1,600 school buses.[1] The fleet make-up consists of buses that are from 1988 to 2008. FCPS operates the following bus models:

  • 1989 Blue Bird TC/2000 FE
  • 1990 Blue Bird TC/2000 FE
  • 1991 Blue Bird TC/2000 FE
  • 1992 Blue Bird TC/2000 FE
  • 1993 AmTran Genesis
  • 1994 Blue Bird TC/2000 FE
  • 1994 Thomas Vista
  • 1994 Thomas Saf-T-Liner ER
  • 1995 Thomas Vista
  • 1995 Thomas Saf-T-Liner ER
  • 1996 AmTran Genesis
  • 1996 AmTran RE
  • 1997 AmTran Genesis
  • 1997 Thomas Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
  • 1998 AmTran Genesis
  • 1998 Thomas Saf-T-Liner MVP EF
  • 1998 Thomas Saf-T-Liner MVP ER
  • 1999 AmTran Genesis
  • 1999 AmTran RE
  • 2000 AmTran FE
  • 2000 AmTran RE
  • 2000 Thomas Saf-T-Liner MVP EF
  • 2001 International RE
  • 2001 Thomas Saf-T-Liner MVP EF
  • 2002 IC RE
  • 2002 IC FE
  • 2003 IC RE
  • 2003 IC FE
  • 2004 IC RE
  • 2004 IC FE
  • 2006 IC RE
  • 2006 IC FE
  • 2007 IC RE
  • 2007 IC FE
  • 2008 IC RE
  • 2008 IC FE
  • 2008 IC CE
  • 2009 IC CE
  • 2009 IC RE

The transportation department is divided into 4 sections. Regular education is divided into Area 1, Area 2, and Area 3. The 4th section is Special Education. Area 1 serves the Southern part of the county, Area 2 the middle section, and Area 3 the Northern part. Special Education services the entire county.

There are three main garages that serve FCPS school buses. For service and repair, each bus is assigned to one of three garages; West Ox, Alban, or Newington.

See also

Virginia portal
Schools portal

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "About FCPS". Fairfax County Public Schools. October 17, 2011. http://www.fcps.edu/about/index.shtml. Retrieved October 17, 2011. 
  2. ^ Home page. Fairfax County Public Schools. Retrieved on April 3, 2009.
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ Russell-Porte, Evelyn Darnell (2000). "A history of education for black students in fairfax county prior to 1954" (PDF). Doctoral dissertation. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-11182000-07450026/unrestricted/Final.pdf. Retrieved July 21, 2006. 
  5. ^ "Education Empire" (PDF). Albany: State university of new York Press. 2005. http://www.sunypress.edu/pdf/61145.pdf. Retrieved June 21, 2006. 
  6. ^ Home page. Fairfax County Public Schools. February 24, 2001. Retrieved on April 3, 2009.
  7. ^ "Fairfax city, Virginia." United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on April 3, 2009.
  8. ^ "Where Students Can't Hug". Time. November 13, 2007. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1683668,00.html. Retrieved May 2, 2010. 
  9. ^ "CNN.com". CNN. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0706/21/pzn.01.html. Retrieved May 2, 2010. 
  10. ^ "Students Feel the Squeeze as Schools Ban Hugs". Fox News. November 8, 2007. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,309296,00.html. 
  11. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19293872/
  12. ^ The Washington Post
  13. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jun/19/usa.schools,NPR http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11181177
  14. ^ a b Sabo, Linda (January 23, 2009). "School Board Action 1-22-09". Fairfax County Public Schools School Board eGovernance System. http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/News/2147F625F9041EAE8525754700172769?OpenDocument. Retrieved January 24, 2009. 
  15. ^ "Suicide turns attention to Fairfax discipline procedures". The Washington Post. February 20, 2011. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/19/AR2011021904528.html. Retrieved February 22, 2011. 
  16. ^ "School Superintendent Jack D. Dale defended Fairfax County's discipline policies". The Washington Post. February 11, 2011. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/11/AR2011021106160.html. Retrieved February 22, 2011. 
  17. ^ Newsweek's America's Top Public High Schools for 2009
  18. ^ Mathews, Jay (May 18, 2008). "FAQ: Best High Schools". Newsweek. http://www.newsweek.com/id/137415. Retrieved September 9, 2008. 
    As noted in the FAQ, the ranking is based on Jay Mathews' experience, does not account for how well students do on the test or thereafter.
  19. ^ Pace, Gina (May 18, 2008). "Best High Schools: The Public Elites". Newsweek. http://www.newsweek.com/id/137421. Retrieved November 30, 2009. 
  20. ^ Matthews, Jay (June 9, 2009). "Top High Schools: The Public Elites". Newsweek. http://www.newsweek.com/id/201138. Retrieved November 30, 2009. 

External links