FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — Fairfax County Public Schools is debating how they will draw new school boundary lines, which could affect where existing students go to school.
The vote to revise Policy 8130 has yet to happen, but one group called FairFacts Matters is prepared to sue. The group has set up an online fundraiser to mount a legal challenge. It has already raised more than $25,000.
“Our desire is not to take legal action, our ask from the school board is to hear the community,” Scott Jones, a representative said.
Policy 8130 outlines the criteria for the superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools to use for drawing school boundaries. Board member Kyle McDaniel says the pandemic delayed a review, but it was long overdue for an overhaul.
“This 8130 policy has not been updated in nearly four decades,” McDaniel said. “In that time, K-12 requirements have significantly shifted. Fairfax County has changed a lot.”
The draft criteria for mapping boundaries include addressing over- and undercrowded schools, as well as transportation needs.
“For schools that are under capacity, they don’t have the same diversity of programming that might exist at larger schools,” said Mateo Dunne, Mt. Vernon School Board member. “For schools that are over capacity and have trailers and modular units, we need to make sure we are using our buildings.”
Ahead of Thursday’s vote, some parents question a new criterion—access to programming. The district says it’s to ensure equitable access to programs and facilities.
“So we asked the school board, under this new policy, what programs would get prioritized to create equitable access. Are we saying AP classes are the top priorities?” asked Scott Jones, a parent and organizer with FairFacts Matters. He hasn't gotten a clear answer yet. He wants the board to collect data and share it before deciding redrawing boundaries is the best option.
“If we need to file an injunction, we go that route,” Jones said.
But some board members think delaying the vote to begin this review process will not help.
“Forty years of tweaking lines here and there has landed us right in this position,” McDaniel said. “But the second thrust of this, by doing a five-year review, instead of overhauling a lot of different boundary lines, we can make tweaks here and there.”
The vote happens Thursday at the Fairfax County School Board meeting.