Manassas board details Manassas Pathways alternative-education pilot, $2 million fund balance allocation and January launch

The Manassas City School Board on Monday heard an initial implementation update on Manassas Pathways, a pilot alternative-education program funded through a $2,000,000 allocation from the division’s fund balance and scheduled to open in January 2026.

Director of School Leadership Betty Jo Winnham (introduced by the board) told members the program is intended to serve “approximately 30 to 40 students at a time who require a non traditional learning environment,” offering smaller class sizes, individualized instruction and social-emotional supports aligned to students’ needs. Winnham said the pilot grew from work started in 2023 and subsequent joint meetings with the city council and board.

Winnham listed current staff in place for the launch: a coordinator of alternative education programs, a program administrator appointed as Manassas Pathways Program Administrator (Brian Coleman), and an administrative associate who will also serve as the Virginia Virtual Academy registrar. Winnham said the division repurposed a 10-month position to create an alternative-education case manager; Bridget Pierce now serves in that role and will act as an academic and success liaison for Pathways students.

“This program is our division’s distinctive alternative education initiative funded and approved through the partnership of this board and the city council as a pilot project,” Winnham said, adding that the team had completed key deliverables and would present more detailed logistics in November and staffing and programmatic development in December.

Officials described the program roster of options that feed Pathways—evening school, GED programming, blended and home-based instruction, CBI and independence programs—and noted two newer components: Virginia Virtual at Manassas (VAVA) and Manassas Pathways itself. Winnham said staffing for instructional roles (ESOL, special education, math, English and a reading interventionist) will be MCPS employees and that some administrative costs will be offset because an administrative associate will serve dual duties for VAVA.

On program operations, presenters said high school students will attend in half-day shifts while intermediate and middle school students will attend full days; a hybrid scheduling model will be used depending on student needs. Winnham said an off-site restriction support service is being developed to provide restorative supports for short-term qualifying suspensions; under that model students would be counted in attendance while receiving targeted services and resources rather than being sent home.

Dr. Casado (presenting on measurement and accountability) said the pilot will track both student-level outcomes and program implementation measures: grades and movement through course modules, assessment performance, progress toward graduation for older students, attendance comparisons before/during/after Pathways, behavior and discipline referrals, reentry patterns and length of stay in the program. “When implementing a program as a pilot, it’s critical to gather data about implementation and impact so informed decisions can be made about expansion,” the presenter said.

Board members pressed for operational detail. A board member asked how the program will provide recess and physical education for elementary-aged entrants; presenters said structured break times and equipment purchases are planned, and academic coursework (including health/PE) will be provided through the program’s course delivery model. Members also asked how a small set of core teachers could serve grades 5–12; presenters emphasized individualized instruction, partnerships with teachers of record for online modules, and that more programmatic detail will be included in December’s staffing update.

Winnham acknowledged hiring as a near-term challenge and encouraged community members interested in working with Pathways to review job postings on the Manassas City Public Schools website. She said the division aims to hire in December so staff can train and team-build before the January opening.

The presentation reiterated that the $2 million fund-balance allocation supporting the pilot was approved through a partnership with the city council; presenters said the allocation funds an alternative-education program administrator and an administrative associate so far, with other positions to be funded as the program’s budget is finalized.

The board asked for clear implementation metrics and cautioned that, as a pilot, future continuation will depend on demonstrated results. Presenters said they will return with additional updates in November and December and that a March soft launch is planned to add the off-site restriction support service as an expansion to the initial January opening.

Next steps: the board will receive a logistics update Nov. 5 and a staffing/programmatic update Dec. 9; hiring and training are targeted in December ahead of the January 2026 opening and the March pilot expansion of off-site supports.