[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6243103,"mediaKeyId","3242796-0ff9238044618ab67babe3b4192011a0","parentId",3242796,"title","Fairfax County School Board narrows student cell phone rules, approves revised SR&R","audioSeconds",1557,"startMs",3177000,"endMs",4734000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242796-0ff9238044618ab67babe3b4192011a0&start=3177&end=4734","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242796-0ff9238044618ab67babe3b4192011a0/thumbnail_3177000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6243103/Virginia/Fairfax-County-School-Board-narrows-student-cell-phone-rules-approves-revised-SRR","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243103-2822abd167bb652e85e29fd20d756116/orig.mp4?Expires=1770412559&Signature=cDP9JsOP-CTqdmyZMxXDeY~GmvAxIOOphSj8tCEF3isOpHpMiUBut5yLwpw0AgbZWgFXC2K0EXfaI93S0xQmUSB5D-Dp00r8n3qb3fWSYwaUAsmzVA4leM0PoePeKm2Jycm9gGHKJsTq0bx6syv04ZWOnelUGwmUCwtwEueJb9xnnvEvTQbjUXljg2Gp22Ju9JAeTN2SUvK4vVSvDQuKia1bCTZ0~eHPUToUfSpY7~ltuxq4TDfvk7hzH8yFSk-od8MRFSpgxsL0hy~hhObQtY8G4ONLWbPDSy~nMDhYQpoGHOSSq08lIxm7fIT5kfcOpX0GU60TLL00QWurmDM5rA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fairfax Co Public School","date","2025-05-09T03:36:36Z","article","The Fairfax County School Board voted May 8 to adopt a revised Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) regulation that tightened limits on student cell phone use during the school day while permitting high school students limited access during lunch periods.

The measure, adoption of Regulation 2,601.39 as amended, was the culmination of a lengthy debate over how to interpret recent Virginia legislation and how strictly the division should enforce a “bell-to-bell” restriction. Board members who supported the final motion said it balances legal compliance and the needs of working students; opponents said the amendment undercuts the intent of lawmakers and risks continuing student distraction.

The new regulation defines “bell-to-bell” as from the first bell that begins instructional time until the dismissal bell and retains the division’s prohibition on phone use during instruction. An amendment passed on the floor added language permitting cell phone use for students in grades 9–12 before the first bell, after the last bell and during lunch periods only. The board also directed the superintendent to develop a process requiring parents or guardians and students to acknowledge that personal devices are brought to school at the owner’s risk.

Board members and community speakers framed the debate in terms of student mental health, instructional time and equity. Mary Beth Bruggeman, a public speaker, argued for a full ban consistent with the recent state action: “I’m asking you to follow the clear intent of our state law, remove cell phones, and the harm that comes with,” she said during the public comment period. Board member Lorna Marin, who moved the initial bell‑to‑bell motion, said the change is required by the law as passed: “I was realizing now the language does not say what it is, and it is to ban cell phones in schools, to put them away for the day per the law.”

Opponents of a full lunch ban emphasized practical needs for some high school students, including those who work or have family responsibilities. Board member Ricardy Anderson said she would not support the amended regulation because of legal concerns: “I will not be voting for this SR and R because I do not want to be associated with not following the law.” Supporters of the compromise said it preserves principals’ ability to manage campuses and gives working students limited access to coordinate jobs and family needs; board member Ric Burns said the lunch window represents 25 to 30 minutes a day for those students.

The board voted on the amended SR&R in a sequence of motions and amendments; the final amended regulation passed with a majority of members voting in favor. The board then approved a follow‑on motion directing the superintendent to develop a parent/guardian/student acknowledgement for personal devices, to be implemented in consultation with division counsel and staff.

The adopted action preserves the division’s classroom prohibition on phones, enshrines a permitted lunch‑time use window for high school students, and directs staff to prepare implementation procedures and a device‑responsibility acknowledgement. The superintendent and staff told the board legal counsel had advised the division that the redlined regulation complied with the statute as written, though some board members maintained the law’s intent was broader.

Implementation details — including enforcement protocols, school‑level training, and whether schools will provide secure storage options — were not finalized during the meeting. Superintendent Reid told the board staff will return implementation guidance and recommended communications plans to help families and schools apply the new rule consistently.

The SR&R adoption followed months of public engagement and an internal pilot in some schools; the board’s action is effective immediately pending publication of the updated regulation and associated implementation materials.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","5/8/2025 - FCPS School Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Fairfax County School Board voted May 8 to adopt an updated Student Rights and Responsibilities regulation that restricts student cell phone use during instruction and allows limited phone access for 9th–12th graders during lunch.","taxTitle","FAIRFAX CO PBLC SCHS, School Districts, Virginia","taxId",14506,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6243084,"FCPS students convert bus into 'classroom on wheels' for summer outreach pilot",282,15111000,15393000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242796-0ff9238044618ab67babe3b4192011a0&start=15111&end=15393","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242796-0ff9238044618ab67babe3b4192011a0/thumbnail_15111000.jpg","/articles/6243084/Virginia/FCPS-students-convert-bus-into-classroom-on-wheels-for-summer-outreach-pilot","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243084-5e4fb9e4a0bdf809f18c4cadcc142a55/orig.mp4?Expires=1770412559&Signature=CcHh48e1PC-HuzbjfiIidSc~XhPo8q6KZDJcJ5YniPSZzOiMcx4mGyxp1xVx8-Jt~GYFQf-pSrrIeSezo5TiPIYsf7Adu2~yqDOAEilDloBwS68P7OCcWwT~9ixGDSpuFqhWj1303wqOaeEf1cQw4OI5pKag2bCUx3yojDtk8avclCyh175TTbNytL0hr83-2dOB9D-2ypuW9rKwJDz~sLpTlZvczlkK0TsTu-PIOYREYWwya~xlToEjW1iM2pB6Cxm-UH4WIp~dU5wWqXIdU1GUbEgZAekzydIKz0042DPQP2szM6EgLdNMfVCX1CSQR39mVeBvYawc-QMn-ab1pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Fairfax County Public Schools showcased a student‑led project May 8 that converted a school bus into a “classroom on wheels” for summer outreach and academic support.

Marshall Academy students removed seats, designed a classroom floor plan, and collaborated with auto‑tech students to refit the bus. Superintendent Kevin Reed said the conversion was grant‑funded and that the summer pilot will focus on high‑school students needing credit recovery and elementary and middle school students needing core academic assistance. The pilot will coordinate with food and nutrition summer meal sites to maximize reach.

Students described hands‑on learning opportunities during the bus retrofit. One student explained using CAD to inform layout and another described cutting and removing seat bolts while noting safety precautions. School staff said the long‑term goal is to strengthen family partnerships and reduce barriers by bringing academic support into communities where families already gather.

Reed said the bus transformation and initial summer rollout are funded through a Virginia Department of Education Innovation Grant and other grant funds, and that the program is intended to be a proof‑of‑concept to extend family and community engagement while delivering targeted academic support during the summer months.

The division plans to invite targeted students to participate in the pilot and will report results back to the board after the summer implementation.","Fairfax County Public Schools students at Marshall Academy helped transform a school bus into a grant‑funded 'classroom on wheels' that will pilot summer outreach for credit recovery and academic support, coordinating with summer meal sites.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6243088,"Parents and advocates press for middle‑school start‑time pilot; district routing study finds cost‑neutral options unfeasible",8179,2679000,10858000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242796-0ff9238044618ab67babe3b4192011a0&start=2679&end=10858","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242796-0ff9238044618ab67babe3b4192011a0/thumbnail_2679000.jpg","/articles/6243088/Virginia/Parents-and-advocates-press-for-middleschool-starttime-pilot-district-routing-study-finds-costneutral-options-unfeasible","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243088-f5eb7ab71838b8b03cca51685ad571a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770412559&Signature=KtM8TdiZsRYkIh9WHSnlGy4OOArsN1CVfeAFzC~ajSUheN8B6ln8puhyJE650cXBTh9fjh~NG06RgGDQg~n-iMqHvba~vLKQQPxqetLI~EkTgKaMEe7noLW53gling0io56rOuef4aPY0UjUsOypTX-Ue8O6fEZIcL~gQTO6ruFf5Cb2JvF081U7EfRgoh4-zYkZMHE2kqVtAAuVB5eWJ93DcPr0QzMpfWZQFY7xxW1hcxXEyJ8pTKjUbYO4HfZORn8sFHA0QSmwXf27jF82rMl~sm345M3DaZjLzb0SUBzRbLx73khY6kE7rhbiQ4lxfOw8OAP3zx--FlSTsWF8DA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple speakers at the May 8 community participation period asked the Fairfax County School Board to move forward with a pilot program to delay middle school start times. Speakers said later start times improve adolescent sleep, health and academic outcomes and urged the board to authorize a limited, cost‑neutral test.

Jonathan Roy and Sean Lassiter urged the board to pursue a cost‑neutral pilot at two middle schools; organizer Phyllis Payne criticized the board and superintendent for lacking urgency in pursuing the change. Payne told the board pediatricians recommend middle and high schools start after 8:30 a.m. to reduce chronic sleep deprivation.

Board discussion later in the meeting returned to the routing study prepared by Prismatic, which the division used to test schedule and bus routing alternatives. Transportation staff and board members described multiple Prismatic iterations; staff said some proposals shortened bus run times by as much as 30 minutes on paper but routing teams could not verify those cuts as feasible in the field without adding buses or creating late runs.

Routing staff described examples where existing tight runs (for example, 35‑ to 40‑minute loops through high‑traffic corridors) had been reduced on paper to 20–30 minutes in a proposed model; staff said those adjustments would likely create delays in practice and ultimately require additional buses, negating cost‑neutrality. Superintendent Reed and routing staff recommended piloting changes if the district can confirm operational feasibility, but said implementing a system‑wide start‑time change without a practicable routing plan and sufficient lead time would be difficult.

No board vote to start a pilot was taken May 8; members signaled differing views about pilot timing, feasibility and the need to protect families’ ability to plan. Reed cautioned that running a pilot late in the spring would be operationally challenging and recommended pilots be considered with adequate lead time and coordination with routing software updates.","Several parents urged the board to launch a pilot to delay middle school start times, citing health and academic benefits. Staff and the Prismatic routing study reported earlier options were not verifiable as cost neutral given current bus run times and routing constraints.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6243093,"School Board affirms expulsions and denies reassignment appeal for students accused of weapons offenses",64,2624000,2688000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242796-0ff9238044618ab67babe3b4192011a0&start=2624&end=2688","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242796-0ff9238044618ab67babe3b4192011a0/thumbnail_2624000.jpg","/articles/6243093/Virginia/School-Board-affirms-expulsions-and-denies-reassignment-appeal-for-students-accused-of-weapons-offenses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243093-4d0b6a90009fb630b578aa6baa0ce7f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770412559&Signature=fnyUN5hRPmdv1QO8dnUgsBZAUR6WQhsEOzeavRfniY4gtjUiRRIlt4-Lrv~ocDRhXWdLToqhllJRSkA3GQasCg0oK-5Nv3cY8uaIXmIdmnAZjLjEbYgZBSwaApIkuucfe2GL1GlcE~fd80KcB~vUJV1bJangL4Nlhsq~MEXk7Hi0Y5S0DdHwUSr8EShskRRFQBURmTm8ZMHGlwCE~zWeM0d9Rn7Vv6OTHcqDIkxC8DiqJCQmwbrdACHUH2WtQadqCcHNPR6L1qxvYGLhznPqXatt37EbJ95CF7Az8wk2CZ9OTYHbD7Dc14sWx~dD-bxyMQGulVhA3gAqkHP457JLiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","In an open meeting on May 8 the Fairfax County School Board confirmed disciplinary actions that had been discussed in closed session. The board approved motions to expel students found to have committed serious offenses by possessing weapons, and denied a school reassignment appeal for a student charged with brandishing a firearm and related community charges.

Board members moved to implement expulsions citing Section 22.1‑277.07 of the Code of Virginia and the Fairfax County Public Schools Students’ Rights and Responsibilities as the legal basis for the actions; the motions were seconded and carried by recorded votes. The board also voted to deny a reassignment appeal and to confirm a disciplinary decision of the division superintendent in that case; the vote was recorded as 11 in favor, 1 abstention.

Chair Frisch opened the confirmations by citing the statutory requirement for the board to certify that closed‑meeting discussions were limited to matters lawfully exempted from open‑meeting rules. Multiple motions were read into the record in open session to comply with Virginia statutory requirements for confirming closed‑session actions.

The board’s votes were entered on the public record; the motions and outcomes were recorded by the clerk. Specific student names and identifying details were not read into the public record at the board’s open‑session confirmations, consistent with student privacy and the procedural practice of discussing discipline in closed session before public confirmation of actions.

Board members did not debate individual case facts in open session; instead, the board followed the required certification and confirmation process under the Code of Virginia and the division’s Student Rights and Responsibilities regulation.","The Fairfax County School Board confirmed disciplinary outcomes recommended in closed session, voting to expel students found to have possessed weapons and denying a school reassignment appeal related to an alleged brandishing incident.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6243098,"Superintendent unveils revised FY2026 budget after county transfer shortfall; staff, raises and materials affected",219,11644000,11863000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3242796-0ff9238044618ab67babe3b4192011a0&start=11644&end=11863","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3242796-0ff9238044618ab67babe3b4192011a0/thumbnail_11644000.jpg","/articles/6243098/Virginia/Superintendent-unveils-revised-FY2026-budget-after-county-transfer-shortfall-staff-raises-and-materials-affected","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6243098-8f1632f93c178319f46ffbd24378c969/orig.mp4?Expires=1770412559&Signature=PtXCDynyEeDyEiH59FhTxgscD6nu1s~oMKwEVuRfXlmHw2ORG1szg9KX9nGePSjMqQSv1wFLoqbI7VJ2PgMkIjde337YMPnkR7NqAN3uy4Oy3nRMeeJcZ3CIm0BpSMKxDTB57uhJv~kXp~3palV4YVpPwZ84pS7mpVcyuY3gdq6FbbodLeVTDd3T3ty6~hRlynM3NYVGVYqu7Zwk~RLJL1RdNtUFhW~G8KMy1NYyM2BSlDSNz0qOUInePW5Qgau-N6Lpyz3m3r2J~s~sEsvjl8nKL35eT00ukdNyybgkDK51yDYrpgU15yieqhnkj69n157RyW0g7QCFij24XlxcBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Kevin Reed told the Fairfax County School Board on May 8 that the school division must revise its fiscal year 2026 plan after the county’s operating transfer was reduced. The presentation outlined a set of tradeoffs that prioritize employee compensation while reducing staff funded centrally and deferring some instructional materials.

Reed said the county’s reduction of $149 million against the division’s advertised request left a gap that the state’s enacted budget only partly closed; a state increase of roughly $28 million still left an estimated shortfall of about $121 million. As a result, Reed said FCPS negotiated changes with employee representatives and revised internal staffing formulas to produce a balanced proposed plan.

Under the superintendent’s proposal, Fairfax Education Union (FEU) represented employees will receive a 6% increase; other employees will receive a 5% increase. Eligible SOQ‑funded employees will also receive a one‑time $1,000 state bonus paid in FY2025. To pay for those personnel increases, the division will adjust its staffing formulas (adding 1 to the divisor) to reduce about 275.3 positions systemwide — an average of roughly 1.5 positions per school — producing an estimated savings of about $33.3 million.

Other reductions include deferring the planned social studies instructional materials adoption (about $15.3 million), eliminating funding for elementary classroom monitors that were added after COVID (about $13.2 million), a 0.5 reduction in some elementary special‑education lead positions (about $9.3 million), a 3% reduction across central departments (about $7.5 million), scaledback electric bus funding and cuts to non‑local travel.

Reed emphasized an attempt to limit impacts to direct classroom instruction while acknowledging the cuts will affect school staffing and services: “With less funds coming in and commitments to providing a working salary for our hardworking professionals… it’s essential that we make some cuts,” he said.

Board members thanked staff for the rapid negotiations and the compressed timeframe. Budget Chair Miss Sizemore Heizer praised the prioritization of compensation while warning the board is at an “inflection point” and that continued underfunding could erode services. Several members pressed for more granular data at the May 20 budget work session and asked staff to provide lists of alternatives considered but rejected. Concerns raised included the potential reallocation of teachers to classroom responsibilities, loss of monitors and possible effects on custodial staffing and hourly employees.

No final budget vote was taken May 8; Reed noted the county’s Board of Supervisors would adopt its final FY2026 budget after the school board’s work sessions and public hearings. The school board scheduled a budget work session for May 20 and a public hearing on May 13. Reed told the board staff will return with more detailed analyses, including the list of options considered and the operational implications of the staffing formula change.","Superintendent Kevin Reed presented an adjusted fiscal year 2026 budget after Fairfax County’s transfer fell short of the division’s request. To preserve salary increases for employees the plan trims staffing via a formula change, defers social studies materials and eliminates some hourly monitor funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fairfax County School Board narrows student cell phone rules, approves revised SR&R

FCPS students convert bus into 'classroom on wheels' for summer outreach pilot

Parents and advocates press for middle‑school start‑time pilot; district routing study finds cost‑neutral options unfeasible

School Board affirms expulsions and denies reassignment appeal for students accused of weapons offenses

Superintendent unveils revised FY2026 budget after county transfer shortfall; staff, raises and materials affected