Fairfax Schools Change Course, Will Start Year Virtually

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — After announcing a hybrid model for reopening schools, Virginia's largest school district is changing course. After a lengthy work session on Tuesday, the Fairfax County School Board supported Superintendent Scott Brabrand's recommendation for Fairfax County Public Schools' approximately 189,000 students start the school year virtually.

Brabrand said in a message to families growing infection rates of the coronavirus prompted the switch from starting the year with a hybrid model of in-person and distance learning. FCPS could start to bring in students for intervention supports on a limited basis if officials believe conditions improve. Afterward, schools could potentially start to bring students back, starting with elementary school students, select PreK-12 special education students and English language learners.

The school board directed the superintendent to determine metrics regarding offering in-person learning first for the most vulnerable students. An update would go to the board by Aug. 15.

The new recommendation comes after the July 15 deadline for families to choose an enrollment option: virtual-only education or hybrid in-person and virtual learning. As of 11:59 p.m. on July 15, 111,712, or 60 percent, chose hybrid learning. This includes 31,289 who did not respond and were automatically given the in-person option. The other 40 percent, or 76,288, chose online-only learning.

A higher portion of teachers and school-based technology specialists favored the virtual learning option. As of 11:59 p.m. on July 15, 7,456, or 52 percent, chose online-only learning. The other 6,946, or 48 percent, chose in-person learning. This included 1,093 who did not respond and were given the in-person option.

"We know this is very disappointing news for the families who chose the two-day-a-week in-person learning option in our recent preference questionnaire," Brabrand wrote. "We all want in-person learning to resume as quickly as possible. We will reassess health conditions regularly to determine when students can begin in-person instruction, if science and data suggest it is safe to do so."

According to a presentation to the school board, FCPS is monitoring potential staffing challenges in the new school year. Leave of absence requests from staff have doubled from last year and are expected to rise. In addition, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation requests for individual health exceptions for teachers reached 1,522, and FCPS has seen less applications for substitute positions in July.

The Fairfax County Federation of Teachers urged FCPS to begin the school year virtually and reopen for in-person learning once its 11 safe reopening pillars are addressed. Teachers held a drive-by protest outside FCPS headquarters as the Tuesday school board work session was happening.

Other school districts have switched gears after planning to offer families hybrid learning or online-only learning. At a Tuesday school board work session, Loudoun County Public Schools' superintendent is also recommending distance learning to start the school year. Manassas City and Manassas Park Public Schools have committed to 100-percent distance learning for the opening, and most students in Prince William County Public Schools will receive virtual education at the start of the school year. Arlington County Public Schools will offer virtual learning at the start and could phase in hybrid learning as early as October, if conditions allow.

Patch will update this story.

This article originally appeared on the Kingstowne-Rose Hill Patch