Fairfax school officials decline changes to Thomas Jefferson admissions

Fairfax County Public Schools officials are planning to examine the math curriculum and instruction across the entire school system in light of issues at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a nationally ranked magnet school where teachers say students are struggling.

But the school system’s staff is not recommending any tweaks to the elite school’s admissions process, which has been criticized by parents and teachers as putting too much weight on factors unrelated to math and science achievement. Sixty-five percent of each admissions decision is based on writing samples and teacher recommendations.