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Fairfax County Public Schools board meeting, date not confirmed yet

5 h 32 min · 11 public speakers

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

School board approves $684,000 quantum computing hardware contract for Skyview High School 3:11:03

  • The superintendent presented a recommendation to allow an additional exception for kindergarten students who need reading support to use Lexia, with families given an option to opt out, and said the board would vote on it at its October 8th meeting. 53:27
  • Board members asked about the estimated cost of replacing Lexia with tutoring, independent research on the program and whether parents can currently opt out of Lexia and ST Math. 1:10:21
  • The board also unanimously approved a motion directing the superintendent to prohibit automatic license plate reader systems on school board property. 2:57:45
  • The board voted 10⁠-⁠2 to approve a $684,000 sole source contract for specialized computer hardware, then voted 9⁠-⁠3 on a follow-on motion naming Lewis High School as the first school for any expansion of the program. 3:50:37
Item by item (14)
  1. Opening and remote participation 5:27
    • The meeting was called to order at 7:03 PM, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and a performance by the Annandale High School Chamber Orchestra. 5:27
    • A request from a board member to participate remotely from Bogotá, Colombia, was brought to a vote of members physically present. 8:47
    • A speaker reported that more than 3,387,000 books were checked out by students and staff in the '25-'26 school year, with 3rd graders checking out the most. 9:52
    • The clerk announced the remote participation vote as 10 to 1, and the motion carried. 9:32
  2. National Literacy Month proclamation 11:08
    • A proclamation was read declaring September 2026 as National Literacy Month and reaffirming the board's commitment to promoting reading and literacy. 11:22
    • The proclamation cited a rise in the division combined SOL reading pass rate from 77% to 80%. 12:49
  3. Public comment 14:36
    • Speakers at public comment asked the board to keep the prohibition on devices in kindergarten and extend it to later elementary grades, and asked for an opt-out from Lexia and other gamified apps. 20:29
    • Other speakers raised pedestrian safety around schools, the absence of required novels in middle school English and the district's administrative salaries. 32:54
    • Speakers raised repeated elevator outages at Poplar Tree Elementary School and asked that the elevator be replaced. 34:47
  4. Student representative matters 47:36
    • The student representative described concerns about metal detectors in schools, including a report that students at one school were sometimes 20 minutes late to class, and asked that the issue be addressed countywide. 48:42
  5. Kindergarten device use recommendation 52:57
    • A presenter said that not using Lexia in kindergarten would require tutoring services with an estimated cost between $325,000 and $1.6 million. 1:02:21
    • The superintendent recommended an additional exception allowing kindergarten students who need reading support to use Lexia, with families given the option to opt out. 1:03:41
  6. Universal design for learning update 2:21:29
    • The superintendent said more than 300 teachers participated in 2-day workshops on universal design for learning this summer and a July conference brought together more than 400 staff. 2:23:41
    • A staff member said inclusion cohorts began meeting this week, with every school taking part in professional learning. 2:33:51
  7. Strategic plan update on custodians 2:36:00
    • The superintendent said approximately 1,400 custodians serve over 230 schools and offices, maintaining over 29 million square feet. 2:36:50
    • Asked how more restrooms could be kept open, a staff member said the expectation is that restrooms are open and that access for students is a priority. 2:50:28
  8. Closed meeting certification 2:55:52
    • The board considered a motion to certify that only lawfully exempted matters were discussed in its September 24th, 2026 closed meeting. 2:55:52
    • The chair said no action was taken in the closed meeting. 2:57:27
    • The chair described the certification vote as unanimous for board members present, with the remote member abstaining. 2:55:52
  9. License plate reader prohibition 2:57:27
    • The motion directs the superintendent to prohibit the installation, procurement or leasing of automatic license plate reader systems on school board property, without restricting speed cameras or school bus stop arm cameras. 2:57:45
    • An amendment adding the phrase including but not limited to flock cameras was adopted without objection. 3:01:42
    • A district official said there are no such cameras on district buildings or property and none planned. 3:03:47
    • The motion as amended passed unanimously, with all 12 board members in favor. 3:09:09
  10. Synthetic turf field contract 3:09:09
    • The chair said the contract for synthetic turf field replacement at South County Middle School needed to be postponed again. 3:10:27
    • The item was postponed by unanimous consent until the October 8th, 2026 regular meeting. 3:10:32
  11. Quantum computing hardware contract 3:11:03
    • The motion approves a $684,000 sole source contract for specialized computer hardware and support services in financial partnership with Connected DMV and the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. 3:11:03
    • A district official said the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority is contributing $100,000 and Connected DMV is contributing $150,000 in in-kind services. 3:16:36
    • Asked about the funding source, a district official said the money comes from a logistical set-aside to open the new high school. 3:17:04
    • The clerk read the vote as 10⁠-⁠2, and the motion carried. 3:50:39
  12. Lewis High School expansion follow-on motion 3:50:40
    • The follow-on motion directs the superintendent, when expansion of the program is deemed viable, to use Lewis High School as the first school for expansion. 3:50:50
    • One board member said they could not support the motion, saying no money had been set aside for Lewis. 3:54:22
    • Asked whether the motion committed any dollars, a district official said yes to the description that it gives Lewis first consideration if expansion occurs. 3:57:36
    • The clerk read the vote as 9⁠-⁠3, and the motion carried. 4:17:43
  13. Instructional program monitoring report 4:25:43
    • A district official said 671 6th graders took the Algebra 1 SOL exam last year with a 100% pass rate and over 1,600 6th graders are enrolled in Algebra 1 this year. 4:36:15
    • The motion finds the superintendent in compliance with executive limitation number 9 on the instructional program. 4:42:30
    • Asked about novels in language arts, a staff member said novels are part of the core curriculum and are not optional. 4:58:05
    • The chair announced the vote as 11⁠-⁠0. 5:28:59
  14. Consent agenda and committee report 5:28:41
    • A committee report said the governance committee met on September 15th and moved 5 more policies to the board for consent. 5:30:20
    • Board matters and superintendent matters were skipped, and the meeting adjourned at 12:29. 5:30:58
    • The consent agenda was approved without objection. 5:29:26

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

Who spoke

Who spoke

We can’t yet tell who is speaking at this board’s meetings.

Video: posted by the district as “9/24/2026 - FCPS School Board Meeting”