Fairfax County Schools Close To Full Classroom Staffing Ahead Ahead Of First Day

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — One week before the first day of school, Fairfax County Public Schools classrooms are almost fully staffed.

That's according to the latest update Monday from Superintendent Michelle Reid, who assumed the school division's leadership role on July 1.

"Our classrooms are now close to 99% staffed and we are anticipating that we should have an instructor in every classroom who is either currently licensed, or working to attain their licensure through our innovative Teacher Residency program," Reid wrote in an update to families.

As FCPS worked to fill teacher vacancies, one of its strategies has been introducing a teacher resident program. The program allows teachers to work in classrooms while finishing requirements to become fully licensed to teach in Virginia.

One of these incoming teacher residents is Catherine Coulter, a FCPS graduate who has six years of teaching experience and a master's degree in education. While she taught in DC schools for the last three years and has a middle school teaching certification, but she needs an elementary school certification. Coulter will teach fifth grade at Fairview Elementary School in Fairfax Station and take a four-week class on elementary education instructional methods.

"It can be confusing when you move and want to start teaching in a different state because every state has its own requirements for teachers," Coulter told the FCPS communications team. "I talked to FCPS human resources and learned after my background and experience teaching in Louisiana and D.C. there were just these two little things I needed to do."

Fairview Elementary Principal Samantha Goldstein told the FCPS communications team the program helps during a nationwide teacher shortage.

"When FCPS created the teacher apprentice pathway it created opportunities for schools to hire highly educated and dedicated instructors for our classrooms while allowing them to complete some additional last steps in their Virginia certification at the same time," said Goldstein.

Reid plans to share additional details on staffing during two upcoming virtual sessions. The sessions will be held through Zoom on Wednesday, Aug. 17 from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 18 from 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. The superintendent will announce additional community conversations for each school pyramid at a later time.