 U.S. Public Schools in the Washington, DC AreaNote: For comprehensive and current information on schools and programs, we advise that you contact the school district directly.
There are many excellent public schools in the greater Washington metropolitan area, but what makes the choice of schools difficult is the price of real estate. In many cases, the better the reputation of the local public schools, the higher the real estate cost. A general rule of thumb is, the closer to the city you are, the smaller, older, and more expensive the home will be. The further out you go, the more likely one will be able to find newer, more spacious homes. By doing your homework first, the good news is that BOTH scenarios can land your children in a good local public school.
In some districts, all students coming from foreign areas are referred from the neighborhood school to a central registration office. To avoid this confusion, Foreign Service families returning from overseas should tell schools they are U.S. citizens.
District of Columbia
District of Columbia (D.C.) law requires children to attend private or public school from age 5 to age 18. For further information:
Communications Office, Room 7096
825 North Capitol Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
Tel: 202-442-4044 / Fax: 202-442-5418
http://www.k12.dc.us/
Director, Special Education
825 North Capitol Street, NE Room 6000
Washington, DC 20002
Tel: 202-442-4800
Northern Virginia
For statistical information on schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia, visit the Virginia Department of Education's School Report Card. This web page provides individual school report cards by pulling down the list of counties, then schools. A variety of demographic and statistical information helps to paint a portrait of a school, including programs within that school. It is worth noting that not all of Virginia's excellent schools have a highly-recognizable name. Therefore, when looking for a home, ask your realtor for a printout of the multiple listings, which list the neighborhood schools. The School Report Card will allow you to compare information about schools.
Virginia law requires children to attend private or public school from age 5 to age 17. School performance report cards for Virginia's public schools are available on the Department of Education's web site. In addition, to participate in any public school sport activity, the student must have the sports physical form completed by a doctor after May 1 each year.
Virginia Standards of Learning exams (SOLs) are required of all students graduating from Virginia high schools. Foreign Service high school students take note: If you will be returning to Virginia and will graduate from a Virginia high school, you will be required to take these exams (certain tests, such as Advanced Placement (AP) and the International Baccalaureate (IB), may be substituted for the SOL exam).
FLO is aware of several cases of returning sophomores and juniors who have been required to take SOLs (with little advance notice) over course material that may have been taken overseas, or never taken. Therefore, upon return to a Virginia school, it is imperative that the student meets early in the school year with his/her guidance counselor to discuss possible SOL exams. The type of diploma the student will receive and the date of transfer into the school system are factors in determining the number of tests required for graduation. The Virginia Department of Education's web page, Guide to Graduation Requirements, provides further information.
FLO's paper, The Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Tests and the No Child Left Behind Act, provides more information. In addition, the Education and Youth Officer at AskEducation@state.gov is available to answer any general questions you may have.
City of Alexandria
For further information:
Department of Communications
2000 North Beauregard
Alexandria, VA 22311
Tel: 703-824-6635 / Fax: 703-824-6699
http://www.acps.k12.va.us/
Gifted and Talented:
Tel: 703-824-6680 / Fax: 703-824-6741
Special Education: 703-824-6650
Arlington County
For further information:
Community Services and Public Information
1426 North Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22207
Tel: 703-228-6005 / Fax: 703-228-7640
http://www.arlington.k12.va.us/
Office of Special Education
Department of Student Services
1426 North Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22207
Tel: 703-228-6046 / Fax: 703-228-6298
Family Information Center
2801 Clarendon Boulevard, Room 301
Arlington, VA 22201
Tel: 703-228-7660 / Fax: 703-527-4019
Gifted Program
1426 North Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22207
Tel: 703-228-6160 / Fax: 703-228-6295
Local school reports (with school profiles and statistical data).
Fairfax County
For further information:
Office of Community Relations
10700 Page Avenue
Fairfax, VA 22030
Tel: 703-246-2991 / Fax: 703-246-2024
http://www.fcps.k12.va.us/ (enrollment forms available on the web site)
Department of Special Services (Special Education)
10310 Layton Hall Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
Tel: 703-246-7780
http://www.fcps.edu/DSSSE/index.htm
Coordinator, Gifted and Talented Programs
3705 Crest Drive
Annandale, VA 22003
Tel: 703-846-8670
http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/gt/
Coordinator for the Gifted/Talented Section
2831 Graham Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
Tel: 703-876-5272
FCPS Online Campus - Offers identical content to courses in traditional classrooms.
Academic Programs - Fairfax County Public Schools include instructional and special instructional programs, curriculum, guidance and career services, after school programs, resources, and life-long learning programs.
City of Falls Church
For further information:
Public Information
803 W Broad Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
Tel: 703-248-5600 / Fax: 703-248-5613
http://www.fccps.k12.va.us/
Assistant Superintendent
Gifted and Talented Programs
803 W Broad Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
Tel: 703-248-5603
Special Education Coordinator
803 W Broad Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
Tel: 703-248-5630
Fauquier County
For further information:
Fauquier County School Board Offices
320 Hospital Drive, Suite 40
Warrenton, VA 20186
Tel: 540-351-1000
http://www.fcps1.org/
Special Education Program
Tel: 540-428-1120, ext. 1084
Gifted and Talented Program
Tel: 540-351-1012
Loudoun County
For further information:
Public Information Office
Loudoun County Public Schools
102 North Street, NW
Leesburg, VA 22075
Tel: 703-771-6440 / Fax: 703-771-6575
http://www.loudoun.k12.va.us/
Pupil Services Department
30 Sycolin Road
Leesburg, VA 20175
Tel: 703-771-6427 / Fax: 703-771-6453
Prince William County
For further information:
Community Relations Office
Prince William County Public Schools
P.O. Box 389
Manassas, VA 22108
Tel: 703-791-8720 / Fax: 703-791-8842
http://www.pwcs.edu/
Special Education Office
P.O. Box 389
Manassas, VA 22108
Tel: 703-791-7287 / Fax: 703-791-8803
Gifted Education Office K-12
P.O. Box 389
Manassas, VA 22108
Tel: 703-791-7400 / Fax: 703-791-7336
Summer School Program/Alternative Education
PO Box 389
Manassas, VA 22108
Tel: 703-791-8707 / Fax: 703-791-7336
Online coursework for high school credit for any student enrolled in an accredited high school.
"Find Your School" - Type in your address to view the assigned elementary, middle, and high school for that address. A button which reads "Click here to see the 2005-06 school assignments" updates the assigned schools for that address. A link to the schools is also provided.
Stafford County
For further information:
Superintendent of Schools
Stafford County Public Schools
1729 Jefferson Davis Highway
Stafford, VA 22554
Tel: 540-659-3141 / Fax: 540-659-7882
http://www.pen.k12.va.us./Div/Stafford/
FOCUS/Special Education Center
Rowser Instructional Center
1739 Jefferson Davis Highway
Stafford, VA 22554
Tel: 540-720-3336 / Fax: 540-720-1563
Maryland
Maryland law requires children to attend private or public school from age 5 to 16.
The Maryland Department of Education specifies what students should be able to do in the four content areas of language arts, math, social studies, and science from grades K - 12. Visit their website at http://mdk12.org/mspp/vsc/index.html
Maryland developed a new asssessment system in 2003 designed to meet the requirements of the federal legislation "No Child Left Behind." Visit Maryland's Assessment webpage which explains how the state curriculum standards will be assessed in order to be in compliance.
Anne Arundel County
For further information:
Public Information Office
Anne Arundel County Public Schools
2644 Riva Road
Annapolis, MD 21401
Tel: 410-222-5312 ext. 5309 / Fax: 410-222-5602
http://www.aacps.org/
Gifted and Talented Coordinator:
Tel: 410-222-5430
Howard County
For further information:
Public Information Office
Howard County Public Schools
10910 Route 108
Ellicott City, MD 21042
Tel: 410-313-6600
Fax: 410-313-6833
http://www.howard.k12.md.us/
Director of Special Education
Tel: 410-313-6742
Coordinator of Gifted and Talented
10598 Marble Faun Court
Columbia, MD 21044
Tel: 410-313-7011
Pupil Services
Tel: 410-313-6647
Montgomery County
For further information:
Department of Information
Montgomery County Public Schools
850 Hungerford Drive
Rockville, MD 20850
Tel: 301-279-3391
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/
Student and Community Services
Tel: 301-279-3604
Fax: 301-279-8479
Enriched and Innovative Instruction
Tel: 301-279-3163
Enrollment Information
Statistical and Demographic Information
Prince Georges County
For further information:
Department of Communications
14201 School Lane
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
Tel: 301-952-6001 / Fax: 301-952-1383
http://www.pgcps.pg.k12.md.us/
Special Education Director
Tel: 301-952-6335 / Fax: 301-952-6342
Gifted and Talented Program Supervisor
Sasscer Administration Building
9201 East Hampton Drive
Capitol Heights, MD 20743
Tel: 301-808-8269 / Fax: 301-808-8270
Extended Day Programs in the Public Schools
For working parents, public school districts offer "extended day" programs whereby children can remain at school, with supervision and a variety of after-school activities, until parents arrive for pick-up at 6 pm.
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Arlington County, Virginia - http://www.arlington.k12.va.us/finance/xday/
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Fairfax County, VA - http://www.fcps.edu/parents.htm
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Montgomery County, Maryland - http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/schools/
Additional Resources
- The Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW) has "Returning to Washington" entry information with links to preschool resources, schools and county programs, organizations for parents, toys stores/book stores/restaurants, libraries, and more, in the greater Washington, DC area.
- Washington Post Education Page - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/education/index.html - Highlights the lastest information about Virginia, Maryland and District of Columbia schools. Click on the School Survey map for an alpha listing of schools. Click on the school of choice for a wealth of information, broken down by subject area. This is a great way to compare stats on Washington area schools.
- Great Schools.net - http://www.greatschools.net/ - Provides information for public, private and charter schools nationwide.
- Homefair.com - http://www.homefair.com/sr_home.html - Offers a free detailed school report on almost any school in the country using public information sources.
Information provided by the Family Liaison Office
Contact the Family Liaison Office
FLO Weblinks for Education Options for Foreign Service Children (K-12) | 
