Fairfax County Public Schools Reviews

Pros

- supportive administration - central location - friendly and collaborative coworkers - local travel reimbursement - ample professional development opportunities

Cons

- requires extra effort to build relationships with schools - space can be hard to find when trying to provide services in some schools - policies and procedures constantly under review

Pros

Many holidays, diverse staff and student body

Cons

Teachers are not valued AT ALL. We are extremely overworked and undercompensated. Unrealistic expectations on staff while there's zero accountability or consequences for students. The school board has seriously laid the bar on the ground for students. Their grading and attendance policies are producing an apathetic generation of kids who will enter college/the work force having never experienced true standards, rigor, or expectations. These policies DO NOT help the kids in the long term! FCPS does not listen to or value teacher input. We have little autonomy in the classroom. The health insurance that FPCS dropped on us without any consultation from us is atrocious. Salary NEVER keeps up with inflation, so employees basically take a pay cut each year. THERE IS NO PARENTAL LEAVE! You just have to use 20 of your own sick days before short term disability kicks (which only provides a % of your check), so if you're newer and haven't worked a few years to save up those days, don't plan to have kids yet. This county is no longer competitive with surrounding counties in terms of pay, benefits, calendar, and work/life balance.

Pros

-great colleagues at the teacher/assistant level who have lots of compassion and interest in bettering their students' lives -easy to take time off of needed (but it's unpaid) -opportunity for development is available

Cons

-the pay is abysmal, just criminally low. Most employees don't live in the county they work in. -leadership is horrific and often not held accountable for the way they treat staff and students or they simply aren't on site ever. -hard to make any progress between the ridiculous expectations from leaders who don't provide guidance or materials and the lack of student consequences. -no accountability for student behaviors. They can injure or threaten staff and there are no consequences.

Pros

Good benefits. Good people. Good salary.

Cons

No cons. Great place to work.

Pros

FCPS used to be a great system. It lost its way when it became corrupted by corporate trained union busters who took the administration jobs as more competent folks retired. These corporate hacks with little if any classroom experience continue to bully earnest, hard working teachers in the classroom. They are trained to never praise teachers and to institute so many changes at the same time that nobody can even attempt to reflect upon the soundness of these changes. Also, nobody can resist or protest these unethical if not criminally negligent changes.

Cons

See above. Working conditions have become hellish. Anybody with any options leaves this cesspool of totalitarian management as soon as they can. I know 50 individuals including myself that have left the profession entirely because of our experiences.

Pros

We taught in Fairfax County Public Schools for one year and found a wonderful community of teachers, administrators, and support staff. Teaching high school is never easy but we have fond memories of the experience. I also taught a summer session and it was very well-organized, well-supported, and well-compensated.

Cons

The area's population is growing and many students have a lot of needs. Classes can sometimes be large depending on the school.

Pros

Supportive team, room for creative interventions.

Cons

Time limited by special education related meetings.

Pros

Autonomy is key for leadership

Cons

Managing adults can be stressful

Pros

Great resources, many teaching jobs available.

Cons

You need to work extra hours.

Pros

Absolutely zero. None. Zip. Nada.

Cons

Where do I start - lunatic degenerate kids, obnoxious ignorant litigious parents, crazy weirdo staff? Abysmal pay? Insane workload and expectations? All the lying cheating families who do NOT live in school boundaries or even in county, but falsify residency while admin knowingly looks the other way? Teachers and Admin allowing kids to pass/move up a grade/graduate when they can't even read? Hmmmmm the options are endless and I don't have all day - so sorry