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Thursday, September 06, 2012

Fairfax County School Board Explores Issue of Overcrowding in Fairfax City Schools

The Fairfax County School Board will discuss a timeline and scope for a boundary study to relieve overcrowding at Fairfax High School and Lanier Middle School at its work session on Monday, September 10, at 4 p.m., at the Gatehouse Administration Center, 8115 Gatehouse Road, Room 1600, Falls Church.          

The School Board’s Facilities Planning Advisory Council (FPAC) identified the current and projected overcrowding at Fairfax High School and its feeder school, Lanier Middle School, as one of several Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) facility priorities that should be addressed in the near future. The School Board established FPAC in 2010 to advise the Board in developing comprehensive, long-term plans for FCPS facility needs.

Both Fairfax High and Lanier Middle underwent recent renovations funded by City of Fairfax residents. The Fairfax County School Board and the City of Fairfax Schools have a school services agreement, which spells out that FCPS has administrative and operational control over schools located within the City of Fairfax, and the City makes major capital improvements to their school buildings. Because of the recent renovations that were funded by City of Fairfax taxpayers, building more additions to solve the overcrowding are not options. A majority of students—approximately 65 percent—who attend these schools are Fairfax County residents who live outside of City of Fairfax limits. 

Based on School Board direction at the work session, the FCPS facilities planning staff will seek community input to develop a scope of study to present to the School Board in early 2013 and initiate a boundary study in spring 2013. The Board will then take action in May or June. Elementary schools would not be included in this middle and high school boundary study. Community input will help guide the scope of study in determining which high schools and middle schools should be included in the study.

Boundary changes approved by the School Board as a result of the study could be implemented with the beginning of the 2014-15 school year.