FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Fairfax County supervisors are considering restoring crossing guards at some high schools after officials identified several campuses with potentially problematic traffic conditions, a debate that took on new urgency after a South Lakes High School student was struck by a vehicle Tuesday morning.
During Tuesday's Board of Supervisors Budget Committee meeting, county officials said it would cost about $900,000 to restore all 13 or 14 high school crossing-guard positions eliminated in the FY 2027 budget. The county's carryover package currently contains a $400,000 placeholder proposed by Supervisors Pat Herrity (R-Springfied), Rodney Lusk (D-Franconia) and Walter Alcorn (D-Hunter Mill) for a more limited restoration.
County staff identified Edison, South Lakes, West Springfield, Centreville and West Potomac high schools among the schools showing more significant challenges based on an initial assessment after the first week of classes. Officials said they would continue studying individual intersections before supervisors decide how much money to provide.
RELATED: Crossing Guard Returns To FCPS High School Hours After Student Is Hit By Car
The discussion came hours after a student was hit by a vehicle leaving the South Lakes High School drop-off area. County officials stressed during the meeting that the crash did not occur at the intersection where a crossing guard had previously been stationed.
Board Chairman Jeff McKay (D-At-Large) said he supports keeping money available in the carryover package but does not favor automatically restoring every crossing guard eliminated in the budget.
"I think every high school needs to be treated individually and differently, but equitably," McKay said.
Before supervisors vote, McKay said he wants staff to determine an appropriate funding level, develop criteria for distributing the money and identify how the county can work with Fairfax County Public Schools and the Virginia Department of Transportation on longer-term safety improvements.
Deputy County Executive Tom Arnold said county officials are examining the characteristics of individual crossings rather than simply whether a school previously had a guard. Intersections become more complicated, he said, when turn lanes and turning traffic are added.
"We will do our best probably to pinpoint the pinch points of the intersections that are problematic," Arnold said.
The board's next major decision comes Sept. 15, when supervisors are scheduled to hold a public hearing and act on the FY 2026 carryover package. Staff has been directed to assess high school crossings, identify the most problematic locations and refine the amount and criteria for any crossing-guard funding before that vote.
Herrity pressed administrators on whether the county could act immediately at schools where dangerous conditions have already been identified.
Arnold said police could temporarily provide coverage, although pulling officers into traffic duties creates staffing challenges. The county also has difficulty recruiting crossing guards: Arnold said 235 people applied over the previous two years but only 10 were hired.
County officials said existing crossing guards who lost some assignments could potentially take additional crossings, but police officers could be needed until additional guards are hired.
Herrity urged the administration to move ahead at locations already known to have problems.
Supervisor Jimmy Bierman (D-Dranesville) went further, calling for officers to be sent immediately to the schools identified as problematic.
In 2024, a 14-year-old student from Bierman's own district was struck by a car as he crossed Georgetown Pike on the way to Langley High School.
RELATED: 'He Was Crying, Bloody. He Had Blood On His Hands,' Mother Recalls
"The problem is today. The problem was yesterday. The problem is tomorrow," Bierman said.
Bierman argued that immediate enforcement and cooperation among police, principals, FCPS, FCDOT and VDOT did not necessarily depend on supervisors first approving additional money. McKay agreed that immediate measures should be considered while the board determines whether additional funding is necessary.
Supervisor Dalia Palchik (D-Providence) similarly called for officials to review crossings at every high school and identify "pockets of vulnerability," while Lusk said the focus should be on critical locations rather than restoring guards everywhere.
Alcorn, whose district includes South Lakes High School, said Tuesday's crash demonstrated the need for broader school-safety measures even though it happened away from the location previously staffed by a crossing guard.
"I was very sorry to hear about the student hit by a car exiting the South Lakes High School drop-off this morning," Alcorn said in a statement provided to Patch. "While this is not the intersection where a school crossing guard was previously posted, this incident highlights that our school safety programs should not be the target of discretionary cuts."
Alcorn said supervisors should restore funding for a guard at the other South Lakes Drive entrance — which he called the "flag pole entrance" — as well as at other high schools where conditions present an unacceptable risk.
Alcorn said he unsuccessfully asked McKay during last spring's budget deliberations to spare high school crossing guards from reductions and co-sponsored the board matter last week directing officials to review risky crossings.
He also called for measures beyond crossing guards, including slowing vehicles and making infrastructure and technology improvements. Alcorn pointed to speed cameras installed along South Lakes Drive last year.
"Now is the time for senior leadership of Fairfax County Public Schools and Fairfax County to find solutions to the situation at South Lakes High School and at other high schools that present a higher safety risk after the Board's decision to cut high school crossing guards in this year's budget," Alcorn said.
Del. Holly Seibold (D-Vienna) also entered the debate Tuesday, sending McKay and the Board of Supervisors a letter urging the county to immediately restore crossing guards at Fairfax County high schools.
Seibold cited the deaths of two Oakton High School students who were struck while walking home from school in 2022 and said she has since worked in Richmond to expand tools available to local governments to improve pedestrian safety.
"Now, just as the new school year begins, another Fairfax County high school student has been struck by a vehicle while walking to school," Seibold wrote. "This tragic incident underscores why we should be strengthening protections for students, not removing them."
RELATED: Driver Sentenced In Crash That Killed 2 Oakton HS Students
In her letter, Seibold credited Hunter Mill School Board Member Melanie Meren with raising concerns about the elimination of the guards and proposing possible ways to restore them.
"I recognize that there are budget and staffing challenges involved, but those challenges cannot be the end of the conversation when student safety is at stake," Seibold wrote. "I urge the County, FCPS, and our public safety partners to work together urgently to identify the resources and staffing necessary to restore crossing guards at our high schools."
McKay, meanwhile, defended the county's decision to eliminate the positions in a statement to Patch Tuesday afternoon.
He said Fairfax had been the only local jurisdiction providing crossing guards at high schools and said the decision was based on a "data-driven, professional safety assessment" by Fairfax County Police. Supervisors approved the budget 9-1 this spring.
McKay also emphasized that Tuesday's South Lakes crash happened at a location that had never had a crossing guard.
"This is a community issue, and improving safety for our students, pedestrians, and drivers requires a community-wide effort," McKay said. "The Board of Supervisors will continue to evaluate what additional measures may be appropriate, both in the near and long term, to improve safety in partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools."
McKay also criticized Meren, without naming her, saying a School Board member waited until Aug. 24 to raise the issue on social media instead of working with the county during the transition. He said FCPS received an additional $26 million in recurring state funding after the county budget was adopted and could have used some of that money for crossing guards.
The crossing-guard question now heads toward the Sept. 15 carryover vote. Although $400,000 is currently listed as a placeholder, county officials made clear Tuesday that supervisors have not yet settled on either the amount or which schools would receive restored service.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
McLean Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.