The Vienna Town Council passes a resolution on Monday, Oct. 27, opposing the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) proposed-redistricting plan that would shift Vienna students from James Madison High School to George C. Marshall High School.
The Vienna Town Council passed a resolution on Monday, Oct. 27, during its regular meeting, opposing the Fairfax County Public Schools proposed redistricting plan that would shift Vienna students from James Madison High School to George C. Marshall High School.
The council’s opposition is rooted in concerns that the move would divide community neighborhoods, undermine local cohesion and pride, and lead to longer, more difficult commutes for students and parents.
The resolution noted the division would prevent some town students from participating in longstanding school traditions associated with James Madison High School, such as the Homecoming Parade and annual Madrigals performance.
The resolution urges the FCPS School Board to find a solution that ensures all Town of Vienna residents remain in the James Madison High School District and specifically requests the board to reconsider "Scenario 4" of the proposal.
FCPS is considering boundary changes for the first time in 40 years to alleviate overcrowding at some schools and to ensure equal access to programs. The Fairfax County School Board is scheduled to vote on the final boundary proposal in late January 2026. The process leading up to this vote involves continued review and discussion of scenarios and community feedback by the School Board and the Superintendent's Boundary Review Advisory Committee through the end of 2025.
The new school boundaries could begin implementation at the start of the 2026-2027 school year. Implementation is generally expected to be phased-in. Incoming students, such as rising ninth graders, would typically be the first to attend the newly assigned school.
According to FCPS, currently enrolled students, such as rising seventh and eighth graders and rising 10th- through 12th-grade high school students, are often given the option to remain at their current school or attend the new school, based on the specific phasing policy the School Board adopted in July 2025. Any details could change based on ongoing community review and School Board decisions. Some Board members have recently expressed concerns about the pace of the process and information gaps.
Official information, including the timeline, current draft scenarios, and details on community meetings, can be found on the official FCPS Comprehensive School Boundary Review webpage www.fcps.edu/about-fcps/maps/2024-2026-boundary-review
The FCPS Boundary Review Scenario Explorer is an interactive tool where residents can input an address to see how it might be affected by the draft scenarios. See https://www.fcpsboundaryreview.org/