OCR Finds More Civil Rights Concerns Regarding Fairfax County Public Schools Nearly a Decade After Teacher Filed Complaint
Despite repeated concerns raised by the community, it took a decade and a federal investigation to formally acknowledge problems that had long been visible to families on the ground.
In 2015, a teacher at Eagle View Elementary School (EVES) filed a complaint with U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), alleging Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) “discriminated against students on the basis of disability, race, and national origin during the 2014–2015 school year.”
Almost a decade later—on January 16, 2025—OCR issued a letter of findings and entered into a resolution agreement with FCPS.
While the division did not admit wrongdoing, it agreed to take corrective actions to address concerns identified by OCR and to ensure compliance with federal civil rights laws.
Overview of the Complaint and Findings
The complaint—filed by a teacher working in FCPS’ Comprehensive Services Site (CSS) program at EVES—raised multiple allegations.
December 2, 2015, OCR issued a notification letter to FCPS, stating it was opening an investigation into allegations regarding disability harassment, failure to implement Individualized education programs (IEP) for five students in EVES’ comprehensive services site (CSS) program, race discrimination in discipline, discrimination against students who are English learners (EL), and restraint and seclusion.
During the decade that followed, key issues—including the use of restraint and seclusion, adequacy of EL services, and unequal access to advanced academics—continued to draw scrutiny from parents and advocacy groups.
January 16, 2025, OCR issued its letter of findings and entered into the resolution agreement with FCPS.