Administrator: Michelle Morgan[email protected]
School SummaryFairfax County Adult High School (FCAHS) is a unique high school for adults 18 and older. FCAHS offers a pathway for learners to earn either a board recognized Advanced Studies, Standard, or Adult high school diploma or the state board approved High School Equivalency, which for the state of Virginia, is the GED. Learners at FCAHS are exempt from VDOE compulsory attendance policies, and all students are self-enrolled. Life experiences, for almost all learners, have interrupted their education, and these circumstances still present substantial obstacles that impede academic achievement and graduation. Many students are employed either part time or full time inside and/or outside the home. Additionally, many of the students enrolled at FCAHS have parenting and family responsibilities, and many students experience socioeconomic pressures such as housing, medical, and transportation limitations. Because of interrupted educational experiences, many students experience low literacy and numeracy skills, a lack of prior academic knowledge, and the requisite skills and resources for self-advocacy, all of which have negatively impacted continuous enrollment and personal academic success.
Given their educational background and life circumstances, adult students at FCAHS commonly take more than five years to complete the diploma or HSE program. Most students do not enroll as traditional full-time students. Most students enroll part-time while maintaining at least part-time employment and/or assume responsibility for managing a household and family. In addition, the FCAHS student population has either not been successful in a traditional high school setting or may have never attended a traditional high school in the United States or the student’s home country. These factors have prevented FCAHS learners from completing their program of studies with their cohort peers.
Programming at FCAHS was evaluated during SY17-18 as part of the division’s focus on equity and to ensure the school’s resources were aligned with the needs of the student population. Because of this review and evaluation, the school was relocated to new sites in Fairfax County that would support a close partnership with base high schools. As a result of these changes, FCAHS diploma and HSE programs increased enrollment of school age students, students aged 18 through 21, substantially during SY18-19. It is expected that this trend will continue over the next three years.
The mission of FCAHS is to provide an opportunity for adult learners to identify their learning needs and to accomplish their goal of obtaining a high school credential.
The vision of FCAHS is for all staff members to support adult learners in an environment that is safe, respectful, flexible, cooperative, equitable, technology rich, and engaging. FCAHS will provide the programming, tools, and resources to inspire lifelong learning and to empower our learners’ personal, academic, and social growth.
Last Updated: 2020-03-05