Beginning Jan. 21, 2020, FCPS students in grades 7-12 will be allowed one partial school day absence each school year to participate in civic engagement activities.

“Historically, students in Fairfax County, with its proximity to the nation’s capital, have been engaged in civic activities. Civic engagement is something that is emphasized in our government classes and the new regulation recognizes that our students are offered multiple opportunities to participate because of our location,” said FCPS School Board Chair Karen Corbett Sanders.

Under the revised regulation, students and parents must complete the appropriate prearranged absence form and include documented evidence of participation in an organized event or activity. Parents or guardians must authorize student participation and are responsible for their students’ participation. Other than those activities required by FCPS course curriculum, civic engagement activities are optional. As such, civic engagement activities are not supervised by FCPS staff.

Civic engagement could include a wide variety of activities, including meetings with elected officials, volunteering for a campaign or participating in other activities within the community.

“The new regulation makes sense for our students, as they can learn firsthand about the important role each of us can have in our communities,” said Corbett Sanders.