Students showcase museum-style civics exhibits as FCPS highlights 'division of innovation' work
June 12, 2026 | FAIRFAX CO PBLC SCHS, School Districts, Virginia
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A presenter for Fairfax County Public Schools said the district was named a division of innovation by the Virginia Board of Education in 2021 for applying its portrait of a graduate approach to classroom learning and student assessment. The presenter said the initiative aims to ensure students develop skills to succeed in college and careers.
A teacher described a museum-exhibit assignment in which students select a current event, build a physical exhibit, and write an exhibit placard that ties the event to units of study in civics, branches of government and the Constitution. "You're going to talk about the current event that the person you're looking at exhibit talked about, and then you're going to give like a reflection," the teacher said in instructions to students.
The classroom work centers on portfolios and performance-based tasks that complement traditional tests. The presenter explained that students complete tasks requiring them to synthesize content knowledge with skills such as critical and creative thinking and communication "to address real-world challenges." The presenter added that offering students choice in topic and product helps deepen engagement and broaden perspective.
Students gave examples of their projects. One student said: "I picked the Artemis 2 launch. The last moon launch was 50 years ago, so I thought it was really cool, you know, people going up to space, and I love the idea of space." Several students said they preferred creating a physical product to writing an essay because the hands-on approach allowed them to explore interests more deeply.
The teacher framed peer sharing as part of civic learning, saying that presenting to classmates can deepen understanding and "makes them better citizens in the future, and maybe more participatory citizens in the future as well." The presenter noted that because FCPS is designated a division of innovation, the Virginia Department of Education could examine the practice and potentially take it to scale across the Commonwealth.
No formal policy action or vote was recorded in the transcript. The classroom description and student examples illustrate how FCPS staff and students are applying performance-based assessment and project-based learning under the division of innovation designation; the presenter said VDOE review is a possible next step.
A teacher described a museum-exhibit assignment in which students select a current event, build a physical exhibit, and write an exhibit placard that ties the event to units of study in civics, branches of government and the Constitution. "You're going to talk about the current event that the person you're looking at exhibit talked about, and then you're going to give like a reflection," the teacher said in instructions to students.
The classroom work centers on portfolios and performance-based tasks that complement traditional tests. The presenter explained that students complete tasks requiring them to synthesize content knowledge with skills such as critical and creative thinking and communication "to address real-world challenges." The presenter added that offering students choice in topic and product helps deepen engagement and broaden perspective.
Students gave examples of their projects. One student said: "I picked the Artemis 2 launch. The last moon launch was 50 years ago, so I thought it was really cool, you know, people going up to space, and I love the idea of space." Several students said they preferred creating a physical product to writing an essay because the hands-on approach allowed them to explore interests more deeply.
The teacher framed peer sharing as part of civic learning, saying that presenting to classmates can deepen understanding and "makes them better citizens in the future, and maybe more participatory citizens in the future as well." The presenter noted that because FCPS is designated a division of innovation, the Virginia Department of Education could examine the practice and potentially take it to scale across the Commonwealth.
No formal policy action or vote was recorded in the transcript. The classroom description and student examples illustrate how FCPS staff and students are applying performance-based assessment and project-based learning under the division of innovation designation; the presenter said VDOE review is a possible next step.
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