News

Arlington and Falls Church leadership to talk staggered terms with Alexandria School Board tomorrow

By Vernon Miles
Arlington County Public Schools School Board chair Goldstein delivers remarks at Wakefield HIgh School for the opening of a new STEM-focused tech space (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

One of the biggest changes being considered is a proposal to potentially stagger the election cycle for Alexandria’s School Board.

Currently, the Board’s nine members serve three-year terms representing three different districts and their elections are concurrent with the City Council elections.

The goal of staggered terms would be to reduce the high level of turnover that occurs when every Board member is up for reelection at the same time. Of the nine-person board, there were six new members in the 2021 election and five new members elected in 2018. But any change to the election cycle would require approval, first by City Council, then a charter change with the Virginia General Assembly.

At a panel tomorrow (Thursday), panelists from neighboring jurisdictions are scheduled to talk about staggered terms and what that might look like.

Panelists include:

  • Peter Noonan — Superintendent of Falls Church City Public Schools
  • Reid Goldstein — Arlington School Board Member
  • Libby Garvey — Vice-Chair of the Arlington County Board

The panel is scheduled to be followed by questions from the Alexandria School Board.

Anyone interested can watch either in-person at 6:30 p.m. at the School Board meeting room (1340 Braddock Place) or register to watch online.