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Fairfax County high school students will face tighter cellphone restrictions during the 2025-26 school year under updated Student Rights and Responsibilities rules approved by the School Board.
Students in grades nine through 12 may use cellphones on campus only before the first bell, after the last bell and during lunch. The board also directed the superintendent to create a process requiring students and their parents or guardians to acknowledge responsibility for cellphones, smartwatches and other wearable devices brought onto FCPS property or to school-sanctioned events.
The planned guidelines will state that FCPS is not responsible for charging, caring for or protecting those devices, including in cases of loss, damage or theft. Students who bring devices to school must follow the acceptable-use policy contained in the Student Rights and Responsibilities document.
The board also amended its discipline-review requirements. The Chief Equity Office, working with the Office of the Chief of Schools, must conduct semester reviews of discipline cases involving weapons, assault, and assault and battery. Those reviews will examine required interventions, case dispositions and factors considered before related suspensions are issued.
The regular meeting began at 7:15 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance, a moment of silence and a performance of the national anthem by the Carl Sandburg Middle School Symphonic Band under Beth Anderson-Morgan’s direction.
Board members approved proclamations recognizing Educator Appreciation Week, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Freedom Hill Elementary School’s 75th anniversary, Gunston Elementary School’s 70th anniversary and Emily Burrell. Nine people addressed the board during public participation, and Megan Sawant delivered the student representative report.
In other action, the board awarded Alexandria City School Board an intergovernmental contract for professional-development services supporting multilingual learners.
Superintendent Michelle Reid presented a monitoring report on Executive Limitation 3, which governs relationships with families and community stakeholders. The board found the superintendent in compliance, approved the 2024-25 monitoring report and voted to retain the policy as written in the Strategic Governance Manual. The presentation completed Reid’s Executive Limitation monitoring and Strategic Plan goal reports for the school year.
Reid also presented proposed adjustments needed to balance the fiscal 2026 advertised budget and delivered an Academic Matters presentation on Classroom on Wheels.
As part of its consent agenda, the board approved minutes from its April 10 meeting, the Special Education Annual Plan, a nomination for the Virginia School Board Association Excellence in Workforce Readiness Award, a Title I Part C grant-funding acknowledgment and a microgrant application aimed at removing barriers to academic achievement. Several contracts were also awarded.
Before adjournment, Meren provided a state legislative update, McElveen reported on the Audit Committee, Lady reported on the Governance Committee, Reid presented superintendent matters and St. John-Cunning delivered board-member remarks.
The meeting ended at 11:24 p.m.