High Schools in Fairfax County Public Schools

The Fairfax County Public Schools district in Virginia is home to 28 high schools serving grades 9-12. This diverse district encompasses a range of school types, from the highly selective Thomas Jefferson High for Science and Technology to more typical public high schools. While the district as a whole boasts impressive graduation rates, there are significant disparities in academic performance across the schools.

The top-performing schools in the district, such as Langley High, Woodson High, and Thomas Jefferson High for Science and Technology, consistently rank among the best in the state. These schools excel across a range of metrics, including test scores, with many students achieving 100% proficiency in core subjects. In contrast, schools like Mount Vernon High and Lewis High struggle to reach even 50% proficiency in some areas.

The disparities in academic performance appear to be linked to socioeconomic factors, with schools serving higher-income communities generally outperforming those in lower-income areas. This is reflected in the wide range of free and reduced-price lunch eligibility, from just 4.12% at Langley High to 78.62% at Bryant High. Addressing these inequities and ensuring all students in the Fairfax County Public Schools district have access to a high-quality education will be an important challenge for the district going forward.