The Platform - The Only constant is change.

• Student Discipline: There is an overwhelming abundance of student discipline issues in all district schools. Current approaches to promoting improvements have not garnered desired results. 
• Student Achievement: Three years after the pandemic, student achievement scores are still lower than those of comparable districts, despite implementing programs to catch students up.
• Funding Concerns: Federal and State funding will be cut next school year. In the 2023-2024 school year, FCPS received almost $17m in state funding, including $422,456 for Prevention, Intervention, and Remediation, $111,635 for Remedial Summer School, $480,820 for ESOL, and $546,376 for Special Education. *(VOE Superintendent's Annual Report)

The only constant is change. FCPS is stagnant. The current School Board has continued to rubber-stamp proposals from Central Office with little to no public debate, resulting in routine 6-0 votes, but minimal forward movement. Discipline issues, low test scores, and reduced funding continue to plague FCPS. Applying the same solutions to ongoing problems will not garner improved results. FCPS needs innovative ideas, and school board members willing to ask questions, in a public forum, not the established, corporate, buzzword solutions that aren't working. 

When my husband and I moved to Fredericksburg in 2004, we chose to live in the city because of the small school district, the walkability, and the small-town atmosphere. The school district's Title 1 designation was a bonus because it benefits all students. Smaller class sizes, increased remediation, access to food, and decisions made to create a more equitable learning environment appealed to us. However, over the last 20 years, city schools have deteriorated in several categories. Bullying is on the rise, test scores continue a downward trend, and necessary funding continues to evade. Since 2006, FCPS has built three new schools, yet student achievement has declined. School districts are more than the buildings they occupy. These buildings need to be filled with teachers and administrators who are supported and funded, and students who are eager and ready to learn.   

Successful schools lead to thriving communities. It's time to embrace change and create success.