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Adult Community Education committee urges stronger FCPS links, new website and economic study
Summary
The Fairfax County Adult Community Education (ACE) advisory committee presented recommendations to the School Board calling for a strategic business plan, an economic impact study, expanded marketing using a new website, a student/parent survey and deeper connections between ACE and FCPS counselors and teachers.
Brian Thorsen, vice chair of the Adult Community Education (ACE) Advisory Committee, told the Fairfax County School Board at a weekend summit that ACE wants closer ties to the K–12 system and better marketing for adult offerings. The committee recommended a strategic business plan, an economic impact study, short-form promotional videos tied to a new website and an outreach survey for secondary students and families.
The committee said ACE serves multiple functions: a large non‑collegiate education and training provider with roughly 9,100 registrations per year across career‑technical apprenticeships, business/IT, health/medical credentials, adult ESOL (about 1,400 students per term) and the Fairfax County Adult High School (about 850 students per year). The new ACE website, funded with one‑time support after a 2022 recommendation, “is operational,” Thorsen said, and the committee recommended leveraging its analytics for marketing and resource planning.
Why it matters: committee members said ACE is an existing pipeline for careers and credentials that reaches adults, FCPS graduates and some current students. The committee argued a formal business plan and an economic model would help quantify ACE’s community returns and guide budget and outreach decisions.
Most important recommendations and staff requests
- Strategic business plan: develop a plan aligned with the FCPS strategic plan to modernize marketing, communications and technology and to measure performance. Requested action: ACE staff should partner with the FCPS Department of Strategy, Planning and Learning to produce the plan.
- Economic model study: commission a study to quantify ACE’s economic and social impact (e.g., higher diplomas, improved English proficiency, apprenticeships and ripple effects). Requested action: School Board endorsement of the study concept so ACE staff can scope and seek funding.
- Marketing & website use: expand short‑form promotional videos and use the new site’s analytics and remarketing features to reach potential students; coordinate content production with the FCPS Office of Communications (RMR is the contracted marketing firm). Requested action: staff assistance to coordinate production and distribution.
- Outreach survey: create an electronic survey for juniors/seniors and parents to better understand demand and awareness; requested action: ACE staff to work with FCPS staff to identify the population and administer the survey.
- Brochure/catalog strategy: continue a smaller brochure/brochure mailer and evaluate the frequency and distribution model of the larger printed catalog (catalog printing and distribution was estimated at roughly $110,000–$150,000 each time). Thorsen said ACE intends to publish a full catalog in the fall and consider additional seasonal publications.
Committee discussion and constraints
Board members and committee members discussed balancing print and digital outreach. Several members urged minimizing expensive countywide catalogs in favor of targeted brochures plus digital remarketing tied to website visits. Thorsen and ACE staff said the new website includes tools for remarketing and that the staff is still learning the platform.
Members also pressed on instructor recruitment and compensation for enrichment courses; ACE staff said teachers are paid according to FCPS pay bands, positions are posted via FCPS Human Resources, and pay increases taking effect July 1 will benefit ACE instructors. The committee noted apprenticeship programs are frequently paid for by employers under the Virginia apprenticeship system, which reduces student out‑of‑pocket costs.
What the Board will get next
Under the SAC summit process described at the meeting, staff will provide a written response and a plan of action by the end of the first quarter of the next school year, and staff liaisons will give updates to the committee in December or January following report submission. ACE sought the Board’s endorsement of the recommended studies and requested staff help to operationalize survey and communications work.
Ending: The ACE committee framed its recommendations as practical steps to increase student awareness and to measure ACE’s value to Fairfax County; the committee asked the Board to support staff coordination for the business plan, economic study, marketing and survey work.
