Office of Government Relations

Government Relations Responsibilities

Government Relations serves as a liaison between FCPS and state and national policymakers, including the Virginia General Assembly and the Virginia State Board of Education, in order to achieve the legislative goals of the School Board and promote the positive leadership of the school division regarding education policy and financing.

Government Relations both monitors and participates in ongoing legislative and policy debates at the state and federal level based primarily on the School Board’s Legislative program via regular communication with the School Board, FCPS staff, state, federal, and local officials, other school divisions, and other education-related organizations. This input focuses on the potential impact of state and federal decisions on FCPS students, staff, and the community at large and how the decisions may impact the larger mission of the school division. Staff members regularly attend and monitor relevant legislative and policy events, which include travel to Capitol Hill and Richmond, as well as the maintenance of a full-time presence in Richmond during the annual session of the Virginia General Assembly.

The office reports to the Chief of Staff.

Virginia General Assembly

The Virginia General Assembly dates from the establishment of the House of Burgesses at Jamestown in 1619 and is heralded as the "oldest continuous law-making body in the New World."  The General Assembly's chief responsibilities are to represent citizens in the formulation of public policy, enact laws of the Commonwealth, approve the budget, levy taxes, elect judges, and confirm appointments by the governor.  

The General Assembly meets once a year for a Regular Session, starting on the second Wednesday in January.  In even-numbered years, Sessions are scheduled to last 60 days.  In odd-numbered years, Sessions are scheduled to last 45 days.

Fifteen members of the House of Delegates (out of a total of 100) and seven members of the Senate of Virginia (out of a total of 40) represent Fairfax County either in whole or in part in the General Assembly.

Virginia Board of Education 

The Constitution of Virginia empowers the Virginia Board of Education with the general supervision of the public school system.  This includes responsibility for (subject to General Assembly approval) the major regulations governing public education in Virginia, such as the Standards of Quality, the Standards Accreditation, the Standards of Learning accountability program, and teacher licensure regulations.

The Virginia Board of Education typically meets eight times a year (January, March, April, June, July, September, October, November).

Fairfax Delegation/Virginia Executive Officials   

There are seventeen delegates and nine senators that represent Fairfax County in whole or in part in the Virginia General Assembly.  

Federal Representatives 

There are two US Senators and three US House of Representative members that represent Fairfax County.