Fairfax Superintendent Reveals New Details About Virtual Learning

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — In a Tuesday letter to families, Superintendent Scott Brabrand provided more details on the virtual-only start to the academic year for Fairfax County Public Schools.

FCPS, which serves over 189,000 students as the largest school district in Virginia, is almost a month away from the first day on Sept. 8. After initially planning a hybrid approach of in-person and virtual learning, the superintendent changed course and recommended a virtual start. That approach was approved by the school board on July 22.

Brabrand's new letter to families addresses the rationale behind the virtual start. He said the main factor in the decision was the health risks associated with the coronavirus. Brabrand noted that cases were stable in Fairfax County, although Virginia and Maryland have seen 7-day averages of new cases increases.

"The safety of those entering our school buildings must be our prime consideration as we do everything we can to protect students and staff," he wrote.

The superintendent also cited operational and staffing challenges for in-person instruction. FCPS saw substitute teacher availability fall, while staff leave of absences and teacher ADA accommodation requests have increased. Brabrand also said specific kinds of courses like language immersion, advanced academics, IB and AP courses and certain electives wouldn't be consistently available due to in-person staffing shortages.

The school district faces the challenge of providing an academic, social, and emotional support structure for all students after online schooling didn't get off to a smooth start in the spring. When the school year kicks off on Sept. 8, FCPS will have bell schedules by school level. The high school and secondary school day will run from 8:10 a.m. to 2:55 p.m., middle school day will run from 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. and elementary school schedules will vary.

Each student will receive laptops for online learning use during the school year. Students who do not already have a FCPS laptop will be notified about the distribution process.

FCPS is working on reopening metrics to guide when schools may reopen or what happens if a reopened school needs to be closed. If officials believe health conditions have improved, the first step would be bringing students back on a limited basis for intervention supports, and the second step involves the returns of elementary school students, select PreK-12 special education students and English language learners. Potential reopening metrics include COVID-19 case trends, access to testing, and operational and staffing impacts.

Brabrand plans to resume weekly town halls starting on Aug. 12.

For more information on the new school year, visit www.fcps.edu/returntoschool.