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Meeting Recap: Advancing Middle School Advanced Academics (August 27, 2026)
Last week, the Fairfax County School Board held a regular meeting on Thursday, August 27 (agenda | video), which followed our all-day work session on Tuesday, August 18 (agenda | video). We discussed and advanced several key priorities that reflect our continued commitment to academic excellence, equity, and innovation across the school division.
During the work session, we discussed the Middle School After-School Program and efforts to strengthen digital literacy instruction across all grade levels. Staff reviewed a potential annual fee for the Middle School After-School Program, including proposed exemptions to preserve access, and outlined a new K-12 digital literacy scope and sequence that will provide students with four required grade-level lessons focused on online safety, information literacy, responsible technology use, and emerging technologies.
At our regular meeting, the Board approved the next phase of our plan to expand Full-Time Advanced Academic Program (AAP) Centers to every FCPS middle school, reviewed the Superintendent’s performance under Executive Limitation 1: Global Expectations, and received an Academic Matters presentation on FCPS’s work to build supportive school communities and strengthen students’ sense of belonging. We also honored the 2Twenty Club for nearly two decades of service supporting FCPS students and families experiencing food insecurity.
As always, I invite you to learn more about the various topics discussed during these meetings by reviewing the updates below. You are also welcome to attend School Board meetings (schedule) and register to share your thoughts with us during community participation (sign-up).
In service,
Karl Frisch
Providence District Representative
Fairfax County School Board
Table of Contents:
All-Day Work Session Recap (August 18, 2026)
At the All-Day Work Session on Tuesday, August 18, the Board received updates on the Middle School After-School Program (MSAS) and efforts to strengthen digital literacy instruction.
Middle Schools After-School Program Discussion
Video | Meeting Materials
The Board received an update from Chief of Schools Megan Vroman and Activities and Athletic Programs Executive Director Tom Horn on the Middle School After-School Program (MSAS) and a potential fee structure for the program. MSAS programs provide students with safe, structured programming after dismissal while supporting academics, enrichment, recreation, leadership, wellness, and connections with their school communities. During FY 2026, 23,526 students — 82% of FCPS middle school students — participated, with more than 15,000 students attending in a typical week and more than 950 activities offered across the program.
The presentation also reviewed a proposed potential $300 annual fee to offset a portion of Fairfax County’s contribution to the program. The fee is projected to generate approximately $1 million annually, or 25% of the County’s $3.9 million contribution, but staff also identified concerns about the potential impact on student participation, particularly among occasional attendees. Under the proposal, students eligible for free and reduced-price meals would not be charged, and academic tutoring, remediation, sports, and other core activities would remain free. Any fee would be collected incrementally through MySchoolBucks, with enrollment and attendance closely monitored and the model evaluated using actual participation data.
Digital Literacy Discussion
Video | Meeting Materials
The Board received an update from Chief Academic Officer Sloan Presidio about the school division’s work to strengthen digital literacy instruction. Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, FCPS is aligning digital citizenship, media and information literacy, and AI literacy into a single K-12 scope and sequence with common grade-level expectations. Students will participate in four required grade-level digital literacy lessons, released quarterly, focused on protecting privacy, safety, attention, and well-being; evaluating and citing information; analyzing the credibility and purpose of digital content; communicating responsibly; and making informed decisions about AI and other emerging technologies. During the 2026-27 school year, students will not use AI or social media tools in these lessons, and AI literacy concepts will be taught without students using AI tools.
The presentation also outlined how FCPS will support educators in delivering the new requirements and ensure greater transparency for families. Staff will receive professional learning and ongoing support to teach the required lessons, reinforce developmentally appropriate technology use, and integrate digital literacy into existing curriculum and instructional practices. FCPS will publish digital literacy lessons and AI guidance on its website and make materials available to parents through Schoology, while principals will confirm that required lessons have been taught. FCPS will also gather feedback from students, staff, and families, develop measures of student understanding, and continue expanding required learning as the K-12 scope and sequence develops.
Regular Meeting Recap (August 27, 2026)
AAP Middle School Expansion Plan
Video | Meeting Materials
The Board approved the Middle School Advanced Academic Program (AAP) Center Expansion Plan, developed following the Board’s direction to establish a comprehensive plan to expand Full-Time AAP Centers to every FCPS middle school. The plan is designed to increase equitable access to Full-Time AAP without requiring students to leave their neighborhood schools, strengthen peer-group continuity within middle and high school pyramids, and reduce transportation costs and the complexity of facilities planning. The plan also establishes standards for high-quality implementation, including sufficient student cohorts, rigorous instructional expectations, school leader and teacher readiness, and ongoing program monitoring.
The updated plan proposes a phased expansion of Full-Time AAP Centers through the 2030-31 school year, with each new center receiving a development year for teacher, school leader, and community preparation before adding programming one grade level at a time. Phase 2 includes Franklin, Hayfield, Holmes, Key, and Whitman Middle Schools, with community engagement beginning this fall, a public hearing in November, and School Board action anticipated in November or December before implementation begins in August 2027. Later phases would expand centers to Herndon, Liberty, Robinson, and Stone Middle Schools, followed by Irving and Thoreau Middle Schools.
Motion: McDaniel, Second: Dunne / Vote: Yes 10, No 1, Absent 1
Superintendent Performance Review
The School Board evaluates the Superintendent’s overall success based on the school division’s reasonable progress toward achieving the 2023-2030 Strategic Plan goals and adherence to the 13 Executive Limitations outlined on pages 14-31 of the Board’s Strategic Governance Manual. The Superintendent provides annual monitoring reports to the Board for each Executive Limitation. The Board then votes on whether the provided reports comply with the Executive Limitation. If the report is found to be noncompliant, the Superintendent provides a corrective action memo addressing the Board’s concerns.
Executive Limitation 1: Global Expectations
Video | Meeting Materials
The Board received its annual monitoring report on Executive Limitation 1: Global Expectations from the Superintendent, which establishes the Board’s overarching expectations for the Superintendent’s management of FCPS. EL-1 requires the Superintendent to take reasonable measures to prevent practices, activities, decisions, or organizational conditions that are unlawful, unethical, unsafe, disrespectful, imprudent, in violation of School Board policy, damaging to the Division’s public image or credibility, leave FCPS unprepared for emergencies, or present a conflict of interest. It also requires the Superintendent to maintain a data-informed system focused on continuous improvement toward the goals of the FCPS Strategic Plan and the priorities of the Board’s Educational Equity Policy.
The report highlighted FCPS’ progress implementing the 2023-30 Strategic Plan, including data on 107 Strategic Plan metrics presented through the 2025-26 Goal Reports. Of the metrics with established targets, more than 90% showed improvement from baseline through the 2024-25 school year, with updated 2025-26 results to be presented throughout this school year. The Board also reviewed FCPS’ recognition as a recipient of the 2026 Gold Award for Achievement of Excellence from The Partnership for Excellence, following an examination that highlighted FCPS’ visionary and ethical leadership, alignment of key processes, and focus on students. Following the presentation and discussion, the School Board found the Superintendent in compliance with Executive Limitation 1.
Motion: S. Anderson, Second: Dixit / Vote: Yes 8, No 2, Abstain 1, Absent 1
Academic Matters: Building Supportive School Communities
Video | Meeting Materials
The Superintendent provided the Board with an Academic Matters presentation highlighting how FCPS is building supportive school communities and strengthening students’ sense of belonging. This work directly supports Strategic Plan Goal 2: Safe, Supported, Included, and Empowered, which calls for every student to experience an equitable school community where health and well-being are prioritized, and student voice is centered. The presentation highlighted research showing that students who feel connected at school are less likely to report poor mental health or to miss school because they feel unsafe, and that a sense of belonging is also associated with stronger academic achievement and long-term educational success. FCPS schools are putting this work into practice through strategies tailored to students at different grade levels.
Elementary schools use morning meetings, closing circles, peer mentors, welcome rituals, social-emotional learning lessons, self-regulation spaces, and inclusive classroom practices, while middle and high schools elevate student voice through student-led advisory activities, affinity and transition programs, Student Advisory Councils, peer mentorship, and student ambassadors. These efforts are supported divisionwide through behavior and wellness data dialogues, goal setting and action planning, a Sense of Belonging Toolkit, communities of practice, and targeted professional learning and consultation. As part of the presentation, the Superintendent shared the following video at the end, highlighting the importance of building supportive school communities and ensuring students feel a sense of belonging:
Proclamation: Honoring the 2Twenty Club
Video | Meeting Materials
The Board approved a proclamation honoring the 2Twenty Club for nearly two decades of dedicated service to Fairfax County Public Schools students and families. Established in 2007 with the mission of “Sharing Love with Our Neighbors,” the nonprofit brings together approximately 420 members and donors who contribute their time and resources to support children and families experiencing food insecurity.
Motion: Moon, Second: McElveen / Vote: Yes 10, No 0, Absent 2
Performance of the National Anthem
The Board meeting began with a beautiful performance of the national anthem by Members of the Fairfax General Music Educators Association (FGMEA):
Upcoming School Board Meetings
Regular Board Meetings (Luther Jackson Middle School)
- Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.
Work Sessions (Gatehouse Administration Center)
- Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 11:30 a.m.
- Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
All meetings are broadcast live on Channel 99 (Verizon channel 11) and on the FCPS website. Meetings are also recorded for future viewing and posted to the FCPS YouTube channel. Visit the community participation webpage to sign up to speak at regular meetings or public hearings.
Reuniones de la Junta Escolar de FCPS en Español: Para ver las reuniones de la Junta Escolar grabadas o para ver en vivo durante las reuniones regulares en YouTube, por favor vaya al canal de YouTube de FCPS en Español.
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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