An at-large school board candidate emerges
Joy Jiandani, a child behavior educator and PTA leader, has launched a campaign for an at-large seat on the Fairfax County School Board.
A resident of Springfield, Jiandani is expected to face stiff competition in a Democratic Primary next spring.
All Fairfax County school board members and supervisors are up for re-election in 2027. The current at-large school board members – Ryan McElveen, Ilryong Moon, and Kyle McDaniel – have not announced whether they will run again.
According to Jiandani’s website, she was raised by a single mother in Queens, N.Y., and was the first in her family to graduate from high school and college. She earned a master’s degree in bilingual special education at George Washington University.
She taught in schools in Washington, D.C., Prince George’s County, and the City of Alexandria, and founded a behavioral health practice in 2020.
Jiandani believes schools should ensure students have “equitable access to the opportunities, resources, and individualized support they need to reach their full potential.”
“Every student deserves to feel seen, valued, and supported,” she says. “Our schools should create environments where every child, regardless of their background, abilities, or needs, feels welcomed, respected, and connected.”
Jiandani questions why Fairfax County Public Schools recently spent $623,000 for a quantum computer at Skyview High School “when we’re discussing budget constraints and increasing class sizes.”
She opposes the requirement at some high schools that teachers take on metal detector screening duties, as she says that erodes trust between teachers and students.
At the hearing on the proposed Dominion Energy/NextEra merger at the Fairfax County Government Center on Oct. 9, Jiandani said reliable, affordable power for schools should be a priority. She noted that FCPS students have experienced more than 1,400 power interruptions since July 2025 and 16 during the first week of this school year.
Jiandani has already been endorsed by Virginia Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D-Centreville) and Virginia Sen. Carroll Foy (D-Woodbridge).