Covering Annandale, Bailey's Crossroads, Lincolnia, and Seven Corners in Fairfax County, Virginia

Supreme Court upholds TJ admission policy

The U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 20 let stand an appeals court decision upholding the admissions policy for the elite Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. That decision ends a three-year legal challenge by the Coalition for TJ, a group of parents that claimed the policy unfairly discriminates against high-achieving Asian American students. … Continued

Investigation finds FCPS did not intentionally withhold notification to Commended Students

There is no evidence that Fairfax County Public Schools deliberately withheld notification to students designated Commended Students by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). That’s the key finding of an independent third-party investigation carried out by the Richmond law firm Sands Anderson at the request of FCPS. Superintendent Michelle Reid announced the results of the … Continued

FCPS to investigate TJ controversy

Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid told parents with students at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology that FCPS is investigating why the notification of “commended students” was delayed. Reid spoke about the issue at an emotionally charged meeting at the school Jan. 3 that drew nearly 100 parents and a smattering … Continued

School news roundup: escape room, vaccine clinics, and more

Students solve a problem in Jackson Middle School’s Escape Room. [FCPS] The following news items about schools in the Annandale/Mason District area are from Fairfax County Public Schools and individual schools. COVID vaccine clinics – Beginning Tuesday, Nov. 16, the Fairfax Health District and Fairfax County Public Schools will offer the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children … Continued

Fairfax County school board adopts holistic admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School

The entrance to TJ is modeled after Monticello. [Keith Pham] The Fairfax County School Board has agreed to a new, holistic admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, beginning with TJ’s class of 2025. “The board sought to develop an admissions policy that recognized historical inequities and addressed racial and socioeconomic … Continued

Fairfax County school board considers revised proposals for TJ

TJ students in the school’s robotics lab. [File photo] The Fairfax County School Board is considering two revised proposals for changing the admissions process to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.  The board has been discussing TJ admissions for months in response to concerns that the current system for the elite school discriminates … Continued