Supreme Court Declines Admission Policy Challenge at Fairfax School
In a move that sidesteps a potential showdown over race and education, the Supreme Court opted not to engage in a divisive debate by rejecting a challenge to an admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Virginia, on Tuesday, Feb. 20. The policy, implemented in 2022, aimed at fostering diversity, has sparked controversy as it some allege it targets Asian American students.
The policy omits consideration of standardized test scores and ensures placements for high-performing students from various middle schools in the county. Officials claim the policy is race-neutral.
However, dissenting conservative justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas argued that the court should have struck down the policy.
“We should wipe the decision off the books,” Alito wrote, expressing his disagreement with the lower court’s ruling that allowed the admissions process to continue.
Some argued that the recent changes in the admissions policy led to a noticeable shift in demographics at the highly selective public high school. The number of Asian American students declined, while Black and Latino student enrollment increased. According to the most recent demographics for the 2023-2024 school year, Jefferson High tallied 65.6% Asian students, 19.7% white students, 6.1% Latinx students, and 4% African American students.
Coalition for TJ, a group opposing the school’s policy, filed a lawsuit alleging that the plan was implemented with the intent to “racially balance the freshman class by excluding Asian-Americans.”
In response, the school board defended the policy, asserting it “removes both socioeconomic and geographic barriers” through race-neutral and blind criteria.
The decision follows the Supreme Court’s earlier move to end the consideration of race in college admissions, which occurred last June. In that ruling, the court invalidated admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina, sparking renewed debate on affirmative action.
George Washington and DCPS Team Up for Equity-Centered Education Leadership Cohort
Following multiple years of planning and preparation, George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development (GSEHD) recently announced the equity-centered Educational Leadership and Administration (ELA) program’s first leadership cohort, who will be working with District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS).
George Washington faculty members Rebecca Thessin, Leslie Trimmer, Jennifer Clayton and Abebayehu Tekleselassie along with their ELA faculty colleagues, collaborated on the program’s redesign efforts and prepared for the DCPS cohort launch last fall.
DCPS was one of eight school systems awarded Wallace funding to form a new pipeline that improved opportunity for more diverse and inclusive principals and school administration staff.
The 18-month cohort is intended for college students getting a masters or educational degree. Students must complete over 325 hours in the classroom putting their educational training to the test.
“It has been exciting to partner with GW’s ELA faculty to bring the vision of the cohort come to fruition, and DCPS is looking forward to sustaining our partnership to continue to educate aspiring school leaders who will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to lead with equity,” said DCPS’ Director of Pipeline Initiatives Tynika Young-Aleibar.
Frederick Douglass High School Celebrates 100th Year
Frederick Douglass High School is celebrating its 100th year of continuous schooling and is the oldest school originally founded for Black students in Prince George’s County.
The 11 students in the first graduating class attended the then-Marlboro Colored High School in a schoolhouse formerly used by white students. The first class under the current name graduated in 1936.
There are currently over 1,000 students enrolled at the school.
“The drive and passion for educating Black youth in Upper Marlboro, and Prince George’s County has always been a high priority. Our legacy is solidified by the countless number of productive citizens this small school has produced,” said Frederick Douglass High School (FDHS) Alumni Association President Aaron Person. “It is because of the fearlessness and tenacity of the early educators imparting wisdom on our youth, to the innovativeness and dedication of the current educators providing our youth with opportunities to excel that keeps the legacy of FDHS alive and well.”
Maryland State Delegates Kent Roberson (D- District 25) and Debra Davis (D- District 26), County Councilmember Sydney Harrison (D- District 9), former Delegates Beatrice Tignor and Susie Proctor, former Board of Education Chair R. Owen Johnson and NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman are all Douglass Eagles. Their alumni association is holding the first-ever Douglass Family Reunion to connect their alumni this year, and they plan to make this an annual ritual.
Learn more about the history of Frederick Douglass High School here.
Maryland Higher Education Commission Extends FAFSA Deadline, Streamlines State Application Process
The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), the state’s regulatory and coordinating board for higher education, has made two big announcements over the past month that will make doing online applications significantly easier and more convenient.
MHEC’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission deadline has been extended to June 1, giving students additional time to ensure they receive their maximum qualified financial aid packages.
“The FAFSA is the application for most of Maryland’s need-based scholarships and grants,” said MHEC Acting Secretary Dr. Sanjay Rai. “It is critical that when the application opens, our students are not only part of the federal financial aid process, but become eligible for millions of dollars in Maryland scholarships and grants available to them though the Maryland Higher Education Commission.”
Students are still encouraged to submit the FAFSA by March 1 to be notified of their eligibility by April 15. MHEC created a new webpage to center all of the necessary information into one page.
MHEC has also created an app called MHEC One-App that will allow prospective students of colleges, universities and trade schools to apply for all state scholarships in one location. The commission currently administers 27 different state scholarships to over 60,000 students annually.
In order to use the app, applicants must create an account through the Maryland College Aid Processing System (MDCAPS) and sign up for email notifications.
