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Vienna’s Town Council voted Monday, Oct. 27, to oppose a proposed school boundary change that would move some town students from James Madison High School to George C. Marshall High School.

The resolution calls on the Fairfax County School Board to keep every Vienna resident within the Madison district and reconsider Scenario 4 of its redistricting proposal.

Council members warned that the change would split neighborhoods, weaken community ties and create longer, more difficult commutes for students and parents. They also said affected students could lose the opportunity to participate in Madison traditions connected to the town, including the Homecoming Parade and annual Madrigals performance.

Fairfax County Public Schools is considering its first boundary changes in 40 years as it works to ease overcrowding and provide more equal access to academic programs.

The School Board is scheduled to vote on a final proposal in late January 2026. Until then, the board and the Superintendent’s Boundary Review Advisory Committee are expected to continue reviewing potential scenarios and public feedback through the end of 2025. Some board members have raised concerns about the review’s pace and gaps in available information.

New boundaries could begin taking effect with the 2026-27 school year, likely through a phased rollout. Incoming students, including rising ninth graders, would generally be the first assigned to new schools.

Under a phasing policy adopted in July 2025, currently enrolled students—including rising seventh- and eighth-graders and rising 10th- through 12th-graders—may be allowed to remain at their current schools or transfer to their newly assigned schools. The final options will depend on continuing public review and decisions by the School Board.