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Dear Friends,
As we marked Veterans Day this week, I want to thank the veterans and military-connected families in our community for their service and sacrifice. FCPS is now Virginia’s largest Purple Star School Division, with every school earning the designation for its support of military-connected students and families.
In this newsletter, I’m sharing updates on school start times, the FY 2028 budget outlook, the Board’s legislative priorities, and recent visits to our schools.
School Start Times
At our work session earlier the week, the board discussed staff recommendations for K-12 school start times. FCPS is considering two options: keeping current schedules or shifting them 30 minutes later. Under the later-start option, middle schools would begin at 8 a.m., secondary schools at 8:30 a.m., high schools at 8:40 a.m., and elementary schools at 9 or 9:50 a.m., depending on the tier.
FCPS’s primary goal is to start the middle school day at 8 a.m. or later, while also keeping changes budget-neutral where possible and minimizing impacts on staff and families. FCPS plans to send a survey to families and staff on November 17. The survey will close December 1; the Board plans to review the results and take action later in December.
I have concerns about the potential financial implications of any changes, and I am especially worried about the potential impacts on elementary school families and CSS sites. Your input matters, so please keep an eye out for the survey next week.
Learn more about the K-12 school start-time options and survey.
Dominion–NextEra Merger
Earlier this week, the Board submitted a letter to the Virginia State Corporation Commission urging them to reject NextEra Energy’s proposed acquisition of Dominion Energy. Our letter raised concerns about the potential effects on electric bills, reliable service, and the environment.
One immediate cost pressure for FCPS is Dominion’s expected 24.9% increase in electricity costs for FCPS. Staff estimates the increase will add just over $12 million to our costs. The Board’s letter also points to frequent power interruptions at school facilities and asks the Commission to require enforceable protections if the merger is approved, including support for electric school buses and resilient charging, outage reporting, grid reliability planning, and lower barriers to school solar.
FY 2028 Budget Outlook
FCPS’s very preliminary budget forecast shows a potential $197.8 million gap for the FY 2028 budget. Rising fuel, energy, staffing, and benefit costs are among the pressures facing the division. This is an early projection, not a final budget; estimates will change as enrollment, revenue, and other costs are updated.
I will continue advocating for a responsible budget that protects students and school-based staff. You can review the preliminary FY 2028 fiscal forecast here.
2027 Legislative Positions
Yesterday, the School Board approved its 2027 state and federal legislative positions. The package will guide the Board’s advocacy with lawmakers and addresses issues including education funding, educator staffing, school construction, special education, student health and safety, transportation, career and workforce readiness, and local school board authority.
I worked with the legislative committee to insert language surrounding FCPS's opposition to vouchers and state-level reforms around pedestrian safety in school zones.
Read the approved legislative positions and Board action.
In the Community
Last week, I visited Bonnie Brae Elementary and Dogwood Elementary. Today, I joined Delegate Gretchen Bulova and School Board Member Sandy Anderson at Katherine Johnson Middle School for Take Your Legislator to School Month. Thank you to the students, staff, and school communities who welcomed us.
  
Thank you for staying engaged and sharing your perspectives.
In service,
Kyle McDaniel
Vice Chairman, Member At-Large, Fairfax County School Board
Other Updates
Regulation Updated to Prohibit Operation of E-Bikes/E-Scooters on School Property
To promote safety on school property, particularly during arrival and dismissal when cars, school buses, pedestrians, bicycles, and other traffic converge, FCPS Regulation 8610 has been updated to address motorized and electric-powered devices on school property.
Motorized and electric-powered devices — electric bicycles (e-bikes), electric scooters (e-scooters), hoverboards, motorized skateboards, mopeds, Segways, and similar devices — may not be operated on school property.Individuals traveling to and from school on either traditional or electric bikes, scooters, etc. should dismount them when reaching the school property line before walking them and parking them in their designated area. When leaving school, they should be walked to the school property line before being used and not ridden until they are off school property.
This regulation does not apply to wheelchairs or other mobility devices which are being used as mobility aids or as disability-related accommodations. Read more details in section 10c of FCPS Regulation 8610.
State of Our Schools: Together, Every Step Leads to Student Success
Hundreds of staff, students, and community leaders came together for this year's Fairfax County Public Schools State of Our Schools event, celebrating student achievement, community partnerships, and the power and promise of public education in Fairfax County. Read more about State of Our Schools.
Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid reflected on the event in her latest Weekly Reflections.
Sharing Our Success From the 2025-26 School Year
Sharing Our Success is a publication reflecting our accomplishments from the previous school year. Check out all there is to celebrate!
Maintain Access to Your Child’s Grades and Assignments: Download the New ParentVUE App
New ParentVUE and StudentVUE mobile apps launched in July. Be sure to download the new app before winter break. After that, you will need to use the new mobile app or a web browser to access ParentVUE or StudentVUE.
For instructions on installing the new apps and learning more about the updated login process, view ParentVUE and StudentVUE mobile app resources. If you need assistance, please submit a Parent Support Request.
FCPS ACE Black Friday Sale! 20% OFF All Classes!
'Tis The Season for Saving! Shop the 20% Off Black Friday Sale, November 26-29, and save on all of the classes available through FCPS Adult and Community Education!
- You can save on career courses in the Health and Medical field.
- Learn business skills in computers, accounting, project management, entrepreneurship, and more.
- Advance your skills in the Trades and Industry with "hands-on" Virtual Reality headset training, Green sector certifications, logistics or manufacturing.
- Become fluent in a new language or master the culinary arts.
- You can even purchase a specific class for family or friends as a gift!
Browse classes now and add them to your shopping cart. You'll save 20% off the tuition of all the classes in your cart when you complete your purchase during the sale November 26-29, 2026.
Don’t miss this once-a-year special opportunity! See all the details here!
FCPS News
In case you missed it in FCPS This Week, the school division shared updates on the following topics:
- Honoring Veterans
- E-Bike Regulation
- School Start Times Survey Coming Soon
Read FCPS This Week to learn more about these topics. If you are not already receiving this weekly newsletter, please sign up today.
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Calendar Reminder
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Thanksgiving - Schools and offices will be closed November 25 to 27. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving! Classes will resume on Monday, November 30.
Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native Americans. It is also a time to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges they have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
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See the complete school year calendar.
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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