The Arlington School Board has released its schedule for March, outlining dates for board meetings, work sessions, and advisory council and committee gatherings. The schedule is subject to change, with updates posted on the Arlington Public Schools (APS) website. For further details, the public can contact the School Board Office at 703-228-6015.
Public comment during board meetings will be limited to one hour. A maximum of 30 speakers will be heard at each meeting, with each person allotted up to two minutes. Interested speakers can sign up online in advance or in person if slots remain available. The online form opens four business days before each meeting and closes at 4 p.m. the day prior. If more than 30 individuals register online, a lottery will determine who may speak. Three spots are reserved for APS students who sign up in advance.
“All speakers will be notified of the status of their speaker request by email 24 hours before the meeting,” according to the board’s announcement.
In-person sign-ups are possible between 6:15 p.m. and 6:50 p.m. on meeting days if spaces remain open. Completed forms must be submitted to the Deputy Clerk outside the board room.
Those eligible to address the board include Arlington County residents; current or former APS students; APS employees and retirees; businesses located in Arlington County or APS business partners; and parents or guardians of current or former APS students living outside Arlington County.
Individuals may need to provide information confirming their eligibility, such as proof of residence or employment within APS. Each person may only sign up for one speaking slot per meeting and cannot yield their time to others.
“Speakers will be called in the order their forms were received, except that students will always be given priority and allowed to speak first, regardless of when they signed up,” states the board guidelines.
School Board meetings are held at the Syphax Education Center at 2110 Washington Blvd., generally starting at 7 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Meetings can be viewed live online or on Comcast Channel 70 or Verizon Channel 41. Agendas are posted one week prior on BoardDocs.
March meetings are scheduled for Thursday, March 12, and Thursday, March 26, both at 7 p.m. The Request to Speak form for these meetings will open four business days beforehand and close at 4 p.m. on the Wednesday preceding each meeting.
Regular work sessions are also planned for staff briefings and discussions with no public comment accepted. These sessions occur in the same location as board meetings and are live-streamed for later viewing via the School Board Work Sessions webpage.
On March 24, a series of work sessions will cover educational technology focusing on AI and devices from 9:00–10:30 a.m., followed by a session on math and learning science from 10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m., a joint budget session with county officials from 1:30–4:00 p.m., and a closed meeting regarding honored citizens from 4:30–5:30 p.m.
Open Office Hours allow community members to meet with board members twice monthly to share comments or concerns. Details about how to participate are provided on the APS homepage ahead of each session.
The application period for advisory councils and committees for next school year has closed; updates about future opportunities will be shared later this year through official channels.
For additional information about committee activities or schedules, visit the APS Website.
