Fairfax County Public Schools to start in-person learning in October for certain groups of students

These teachers at Camelot Elementary School in Annandale are continuing with virtual instruction. [FCPS]

The Fairfax County School Board has approved a plan by Superintendent Scott Brabrand to gradually bring back students for in-person learning starting in October. 

The first groups would return to school under a cohort model, in which small groups of students would stay together all day. Everyone else would continue with virtual learning. 

Group 1, to return in early October, would be limited to students in select high school career and technical education courses. This group would include 62 students and five teachers at four locations. They would be in school one or two days a week.

Group 2, to start in mid-October, would add four full days a week for preschool students with autism and four half days a week for preschool classes. This group would cover 1,734 students and 178 teachers at 127 schools, representing about 1 percent of all FCPS students and teachers.

Group 3, to start in mid or late October, would add more students in special education (four days a week), some English language learners (Monday mornings), and students in select high school courses that require specialized equipment (one or two days a week). Group 3 would involve 3 percent of all FCPS students and teachers – 3,922 students and 350 teachers in all schools.

Group 4 would add elementary students at the Burke School (four days a week) and students in select high school courses that benefit strongly from in-person hands-on experiences (one or two days a week). This group, to start in late October, would include 989 students and 63 schools.

The school board delayed action on Brabrand’s staffing proposal. Brabrand called for FCPS to honor anyone in Group 1 who requests accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Teachers in the other groups would have three options: accept in-person positions, take a leave of absence, or resign. 

Tina Williams, president of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers urged FCPS to honor ADA requests from all staff affected by the cohort model. “If these requests are not honored, staff will be forced to choose between their jobs or the health and safety of themselves and their families,” she said.