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October 8th Meeting Recap: Opening of Schools, Educational Technology Updates, and More
Hello Neighbors!
We had a very busy meeting last week, starting with some meaningful proclamations, including a number of different actions related to Instructional Technology, our federal and state priorities, and FCPS’ financial planning. Though I was out of town for a funeral, I joined remotely to ensure I could ask questions publicly and weigh in on these topics.
Dr. Reid also presented on the Opening of Schools, and I asked her a number of questions around the recent staffing challenges we faced at several schools in Braddock, while getting broader context on our approach.
I also wanted to share two important items, outside of this meeting:
- Last week, Dr. Reid also announced that FCPS was recently awarded the Purple Star Designation, and is now the largest Purple Star Division in Virginia, and the only division of its size to achieve Purple Star designation. Virginia’s Purple Star Designation program recognizes schools for excelling in supporting military-connected students.
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The FCPS Traffic and Pedestrian survey is open until tomorrow, October 15th. If you’ve noticed pedestrian hotspots, crosswalk concerns, or tricky traffic areas near your neighborhood schools, please speak up before the submissions close! Every piece of feedback helps us create safer routes for our students.
As always, I welcome your inputs and questions on every issue before the Board, and those that you feel I should bring forward. You can email me at Braddock@fcps.edu. You are also welcome to attend School Board meetings (schedule) and register to share your thoughts with us during community participation (sign-up).
Yours In Service,
Tom Dannan
Braddock District Representative
Fairfax County School Board
At This Meeting
 Dr. Reid shared the annual Opening of Schools Report. The presentation was a great way to look back at a very successful first day of school and everyone who helped make it possible. Some of the first-day statistics she shared are:
- 99.7% of positions critical to opening our schools were filled, maintaining our highest staffing levels in three years.
- FCPS Food and Nutrition Services team served 77,919 breakfasts and lunches.
- 94% of our nearly 6,000 bus routes arrived on time.
- 85% of eighth graders are enrolled in Algebra 1 or higher.
- Our student-athletes participated in more than 200 practices and 30 contests.
These numbers reflect the dedication, preparation, and teamwork that go into making the first day of school a success for our students. We also looked at what’s new for the 2026-27 school year for our students, families, and staff.
While the overall numbers of FCPS staffing are excellent, I know that some of our schools have had staffing challenges that they have been working through with the support of FCPS Human Resources. I asked Dr. Reid some questions about workforce rebalancing that was undertaken to retain our excellent staff even amidst the declining enrollment. I intend to keep learning about this staffing approach with an eye to finding out what can be done better next year to ensure that our teachers know their assignments earlier and that our students start the year with a permanent teacher.
Educational Technology Updates
As we work on comprehensive policies regarding instructional technology and Artificial Intelligence, the Board took a few interim actions related to educational technology at this meeting.
Allowed the limited use of Lexia to support kindergarten students identified for reading intervention.
The first action was around the Superintendent’s recommendation for device use in Pre-K and Kindergarten. At our July 16 Regular Meeting, we asked Dr. Reid not to issue devices this year to students in these grades (with certain exceptions, such as for students with IEPs or needing translation services), and to consult with the Educational Technology Review Committee on the best path forward. I appreciate that we have worked to gather information and consider the nuances and impacts of these decisions.
On Thursday, Superintendent Reid brought the Board a recommendation, based on the ETRC’s input, that FCPS allow the use of Lexia for a limited amount of time (up to a maximum of 75 minutes per week) only for kindergarten students who have been identified as requiring additional reading support to meet state law requirements. In addition, Superintendent Reid recommended that parents and guardians of these students be given the option to opt-out of this device use.
Based on the state requirements around reading intervention and the limited usage of Lexia contained in the recommendation, I voted in support of this motion, though I have concerns about FCPS being able to provide alternative resources. I look forward to learning about ways FCPS can meet the state’s reading intervention requirements for kindergarten students without devices in future years and planning for the related expenses in the budget process. You can hear my full remarks.
Directed the Superintendent to develop a process for parent and guardian opt-outs for ST Math and Lexia in elementary schools.
I was seconded a follow-on motion to allow parents and guardians to opt their elementary school students out from using two programs that are frequently used in FCPS classrooms - ST Math and Lexia. While I know that some parents and guardians believe their children benefit from these programs (including my own), I know there are others who do not want their children to use these programs to learn reading and math. Stay tuned for information from Dr. Reid and her team to find out when this process will be available to families.
Directed the Superintendent to review the cost and instructional efficacy of Lexia.
While an earlier motion focused on the limited use of Lexia by certain kindergarten students, this motion addressed the Board’s desire to better understand the value of Lexia for all of our students. The Board unanimously directed an expedited review that considers independent research and compares the instructional efficacy of Lexia against alternate methods of instruction, including those identified by the Virginia Department of Education. I look forward to hearing the results of this review and understanding what role, if any, Lexia should play in FCPS reading instruction.
Directed the Superintendent to evaluate the cost and instructional efficacy of core elementary school applications and software.
By adopting this motion, the Board directed the Superintendent to perform a similar review of all centrally-provided, core instructional applications and software that are widely used by our elementary schools. Once again, the Board directed that this review evaluate both the cost and instructional efficacy of these tools and consider alternative instructional methods. This is, of course, a larger endeavor and will take more time.
I supported this review and I believe it will provide FCPS with important information to make informed decisions on the resources we use to instruct our youngest learners. The motion that the Board unanimously adopted included some changes to the original motion that I suggested based on conversations with FCPS leadership to better understand what would be involved in a review of FCPS applications and software.
The School Board maintains thirteen Executive Limitations (you can see them on pages 16-33 of the Board’s Strategic Governance Manual) that are designed to ensure that the Superintendent operates the division to achieve Strategic Plan goals. The Superintendent provides an annual report to the Board on each of the executive limitations and the Board votes on whether she has demonstrated compliance with that executive limitation. These votes are designed to provide the Superintendent with immediate feedback on her work. The executive limitation reports along with the Strategic Plan goal reports are effective ways for the Board and the community to monitor the efforts and progress of the division.
At this meeting, Dr. Reid presented a report on EL-5, Financial Planning. She shared new evidence of compliance with this executive limitation.
- FCPS received the 2026 Gold Award for Achievement of Excellence by the Partnership for Excellence using the Baldridge Framework.
- A September 2026 budget work session to provide an earlier assessment of the budget landscape and allow for both the Board and the community to be engaged earlier in the budget process.
- FCPS has received budget awards from the Association of School Business Officials International and the Government Finance Officers Association.
You can view the presentation and the full monitoring report on BoardDocs.
The School Board voted to adopt its 2027 state and federal legislative priority positions. At its September 8 Work Session, the Board discussed staff-recommended changes to the Board’s state and federal priority positions as well as updates to its broader standing positions. In addition, the Board discussed the operation of its newly formed Legislative Committee.
The adopted state legislative priority positions are:
- Increase State Funding for K-12 Programs
- Improve Virginia’s Statewide Assessment System
- Improve Virginia’s School Accountability System
- Expand College and Workforce Readiness Programs
- Provide State-Funded Universal Pre-Kindergarten Programs
- Increase State Funding for School Facilities
- Increase Access to Free School Meals
- Reform Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act
The adopted federal legislative priority positions are:
- Increase Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Program Funding
- Improve Title I Program Funding
- Protect Access to High-Quality Head Start Programs
- Restore Access to Universal Food and Nutrition Programs
- Fully Fund the Impact Aid Program
- Continue and Increase Title III Program Funding for Limited English Proficient Students
- Continue and Increase E-Rate Educational Technology Funding
- Continue and Increase Perkins Career and Technical Education Program Funding
- Continue and Increase Title II Teacher and Principal Quality Program Funding
- Maintain and Increase Access to Medicaid Reimbursement Funding
- Reduce the Impact of Temporary Protected Status Expirations
I used my time to highlight the importance of identifying increased federal funding to meet the mandates of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). You can see my remarks and the full state and federal priority positions on BoardDocs.
 Indigenous People’s Day is recognized on the second Monday of October and Native American Heritage Month is recognized throughout the month of November across the United States and in FCPS to honor and celebrate the history, accomplishments and contributions of the first peoples of this land.
The Commonwealth of Virginia is home to eleven officially-recognized tribes whose presence and leadership honors and strengthens our shared history and future. Fairfax County sits on land originally stewarded by the Dogue, Manahoac, and Pamunkey tribes, and other Indigenous peoples, whose stories, traditions, and cultures continue to enrich our county and commonwealth. FCPS serves a diverse student population with many who embrace and celebrate their indigenous family heritage.
I spent more than 8 years living and working with Indigenous people, here and abroad. That experience taught me a number of life lessons, including the importance of nurturing our connection with each other, and of making decisions with future generations in mind, and I was glad to support this proclamation.
 National Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized annually from September 15th through October 15th across the United States by celebrating the histories, cultures, and innumerable contributions of those whose ancestors trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean nations.
Nearly one in five people in the U.S. is Hispanic. The highest concentration of Virginia's Hispanic population resides in Northern Virginia and accounts for 18% of Fairfax County’s population. Approximately one in three Fairfax County Public Schools students is of Hispanic heritage.
Hispanic history is inexorably entwined with United States history, as California, Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, parts of Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma were at one point Spanish or Mexican territory. As part of the largest ethnic group in the United States, Hispanics and Latinos have significantly contributed to our nation’s identity and have played a vital role in shaping American democracy, economy, cuisine and culture.
FCPS’ Hispanic American students, staff, and families are valued members of our community whose contributions immeasurably enhance our classrooms, culture, and collective success. By affirming our shared commitment to equity and opportunity, we empower all students to become the next generation of leaders – reinforcing the School Board’s belief that “Diversity is a strength that creates resilient, open, and innovative global citizens.”
 LGBTQIA+ History Month has been recognized across the U.S. since 1994 and Fairfax County Public Schools | 