Fairfax County delaying in-person learning for select students

Fairfax County Schools will not expand in-person learning

Tonight we're getting reaction from parent groups after Virginia's largest school district postponed plans to phase in another round of students for in-person learning.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - Fairfax County Public Schools announced Monday that the district is delaying additional in-person learning.

This delay includes students and staff members in the Group 5 cohort (early HeadStart, pre-K, kindergarten, and select students who receive special education services) that had been scheduled to return to school on November 17. Any new pilot programs and classes that were scheduled to start tomorrow will also pause.

Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and Weather

The county says this decision was made because the current health metrics for COVID-19 cases in the community now exceed the threshold to expand in-person learning. District leadership will delay expanding in-person instruction to Group 5 and to new pilot programs and classes that were scheduled to start November 17.

FCPS says their leadership is monitoring health metrics daily, but Group 5 will remain virtual until at least November 30. Additional updates will be communicated when available.

“We made this decision as soon as new health metrics were released and are communicating it to you immediately as promised," FCPS Superintendent Scott S. Brabrand said in a letter to parents, guardians and staff. "We always anticipated the need to potentially adjust our return to school plans as necessary during this ongoing pandemic."

READ MORE: New Virginia COVID-19 measures in place; Fairfax County moves forward with plan to increase in-person learning

Brabrand also said students and staff members who have been attending in-person classes (Groups 1-4) and existing pilots will continue to do so. Specific health metrics that guide FCPS decisions on when new groups of students can begin in-person instruction are posted online. These metrics also determine the criteria for if or when existing in-person instruction may need to be transitioned back to a virtual setting.

Brabrand will host a virtual Return to School Town Hall on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 6 to 7 p.m. The Town Hall can be viewed on the FCPS website; questions can be submitted in advance to returntoschool@fcps.edu or during the Town Hall at 1-800-231-6359.