Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia is being investigated over the admissions policy at an elite high school.
According to the Associated Press, the Department of Education announced Thursday they will be opening a civil rights investigation into Thomas Jefferson High School and its admissions policy introduced five years ago that led to an increase in Black and Hispanic students.
The policy is being challenged by some parents, who argue that the change came at the expense of Asian American students, who have seen a significant drop off in enrollments.
Virginia’s Attorney General Jason Miyares recently closed his own investigation into the school’s policy and determined it is discriminatory towards Asian American students.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement that the department will be investigating further into the matter.
“The Department of Education is grateful for the diligent work of Governor (Glenn) Youngkin and Attorney General Miyares for documenting a pattern of concerning practices at TJ, and we will further investigate this complaint to ensure that all students being assessed fairly, according to merit and accomplishment,” McMahon said.
The school district said in a statement they would be reviewing the documents from Miyares. However, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case that challenge the high school’s admissions policy last year.
“This matter has already been fully litigated,” Fairfax County Public Schools said in a statement. “A federal appellate court determined there was no merit to arguments that the admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology discriminates against any group of students.”
The school district implemented changes to the admissions policy in 2020, eliminating the $100 application fee and standardized admissions test in favor of a holistic review process.
Asian American students made up approximately 54% of the admitted class, a decrease from previous years when their representation ranged between 65% and 75%. Additionally, the proportion of Black and Hispanic students — historically underrepresented at the school — also saw an increase.
