Fairfax County Adult High School

What Fairfax County Adult High School does

Fairfax County Adult High School (FCAHS) is a public adult education institution operated by Fairfax County Public Schools, governed by the Fairfax County School Board and headquartered at the Plum Center for Lifelong Learning at 6815 Edsall Road in Springfield, Virginia. It serves adults aged 18 and older who lack a high school credential, offering two parallel pathways: a Diploma Pathway awarding a Virginia-approved high school diploma through credit-based coursework, and a High School Equivalency (HSE) Pathway providing GED test preparation across the four GED subject areas. The school also delivers ESOL, Career and Technical Education (Personal Finance, Digital Applications, Information Systems), and Special Education programming, with instruction offered in person (day and evening at Plum Center) and asynchronously online with limited synchronous components.

The underlying technology stack is conventional educational infrastructure: Schoology as LMS, Google Workspace for productivity, the FCPS Student Information System for enrollment and grading, MySchoolBucks for fee collection, and the Destiny/Follett library catalog with digital content providers (Rosen Learning Center, Pebble Go, Noodle Tools, MyOn, MackinVia). No proprietary technology platform is built; FCAHS is a service-delivery unit within the FCPS system rather than a technology-driven entity. The school's revenue model is overwhelmingly dependent on public K-12 funding from Fairfax County, with only marginal tuition collected from non-school-aged adult learners ($80 per semester for day classes, $180 per year for virtual classes) and a $5 per-transcript fee via MySchoolBucks.

FCAHS serves individual adult learners directly via scheduled registration appointments, supplemented by community outreach through FCPS feeder schools, resource fairs, and partnerships with Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), George Mason University, and Fairfax County Government agencies. Strategic positioning is built on the FCPS brand and credentialing authority, the Virginia-approved diploma pathway as a regulated credential, formal military-family support (Purple Star designation), and structured college-transition pathways. The institution has no venture backing, no external funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no commercial expansion beyond its authorized Fairfax County service area.

Name

Fairfax County Adult High School

Legal name

Fairfax County Adult High School

Website

https://fairfaxadulths.fcps.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fairfax County Adult High School is a public adult education institution operated by Fairfax County Public Schools, serving adults 18+ in Fairfax County, Virginia through a Virginia-approved Diploma Pathway and a GED preparation pathway delivered at the Plum Center campus and online.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Secondary Education

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Adult High School Diploma Completion Programs (EDAAABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Credit Recovery & Alternative Adult High School (EDAAABAC), High School Equivalency (GED/HiSET/TASC) Preparation (EDANAJAG), College & Career Transition Services (Bridge Programs, Dual Enrollment Pathways) (EDAAABAK), Adult Learner Support Services (Advising, Case Management, Wraparound Supports) (EDAAABAJ)

Keywords

• Adult education services
• High school diploma programs
• GED test preparation
• Career technical education
• English language learners

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield, Virginia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition - Day Programming: Non-school aged adult learners pay tuition for day programming classes at Plum Center. Virginia-approved diploma pathway.
2. Tuition - Virtual Programming: Non-school aged adult learners pay annual tuition for virtual programming with asynchronous classes and limited synchronous options.
3. Transcript Fees: $5 per transcript for recent graduates requesting academic transcripts through MySchoolBucks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fairfax County Adult High School provides adult secondary education through two primary credentialing pathways: the Diploma Pathway, where adults 18+ earn a Virginia-approved high school diploma via semester-based credit coursework, and the High School Equivalency (HSE) Pathway, where students prepare for the GED test across four subject areas. The school delivers blended instruction in-person at the Plum Center for Lifelong Learning in Springfield, Virginia, with day, evening, virtual, and Saturday scheduling options to accommodate working adults, military-connected learners, and English language learners.

Product overview

Fairfax County Adult High School operates as a dual-pathway adult education institution offering two primary credential programs: the Diploma Pathway (traditional high school diploma with in-person and virtual class options) and the High School Equivalency (HSE) Pathway (GED preparation with in-person and virtual classes). The school provides comprehensive academic programming across Career and Technical Education, ESOL, English, Math, Science, and Social Studies disciplines. Supporting services include library resources (Destiny catalog with digital learning tools), mental health services, and college/career readiness initiatives through partnerships with NOVA and local employers. Students aged 18+ who are Fairfax County residents and lack a high school diploma are eligible for enrollment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Diploma Pathway
• High School Equivalency (HSE) Pathway
• Career and Technical Education (CTE)
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
• Special Education
• Library Services
• Mental Health Resources
• College and Career Readiness
• Transcript Request Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 44% increase in Reading SOL pass rates
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNOVA representatives regularly visit FCAHS locations to offer college planning workshops on topics such as advising, paying for college, and opportunities to transfer to four-year colleges. Students also tour the NOVA campus and connect directly with representatives for application assistance.
• George Mason University (GMU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCAHS learners participate in the GMU Dreamcatchers program with regular field trips to GMU and visits to GMU for the Alcanza College Fair. Alcanza is part of GMU's effort to increase interest and awareness of college among high school students during Hispanic Heritage month.
• Fairfax County Park AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents participated in field trips to the Fairfax County Park Authority gaining insight into local career opportunities, interviewing tips, hiring pathways, and workplace skills.
• Fairfax County GovernmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuest speaker from Fairfax County Government provided students with career guidance, interviewing tips, hiring pathways, and workplace skills development.
• Fairfax County Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCAHS is part of FCPS system. FCPS provides administrative infrastructure, technology platforms (Schoology, SIS, Google Workspace), curriculum standards, and operational support including transportation, human resources, and family engagement services.
• Fairfax County Community Services BoardminorOthersMental health crisis and emergency services partnership providing 24/7 emergency services at Sharon Bulova Center for Community Health (703-573-5679) for student mental health support.
• FCPS Family Resource CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides information and resources to support student success. Resources available for military-connected families include digital resources, free webinars, and FCPS in-person tutor list.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Excel High School: Excel High School is an accredited online high school serving both traditional teens and adult learners seeking diplomas. Directly comparable to FCAHS in the adult diploma pathway segment, with flexible online scheduling and NCAA-approved courses appealing to a similar working-adult and at-risk-learner audience.
• Penn Foster: Penn Foster is a leading online adult high school diploma and career certificate provider, serving self-paced adult learners nationwide. It is directly comparable to FCAHS as both target adult learners seeking secondary credentials, but delivers through a fully online, asynchronous model versus FCAHS's blended in-person and virtual approach.
• Laurel Springs School: Laurel Springs School is an accredited online private school offering full diploma pathways for K-12 students including adult learners. Comparable to FCAHS for adults seeking flexible online diploma completion, though it serves a broader K-12 audience and operates as a private school rather than a public adult education program.
• American School: American School is a distance-learning high school serving students worldwide since 1897, offering accredited high school diploma programs for traditional and adult learners. Comparable to FCAHS in the adult diploma completion space, but with a fully online/correspondence model and broader national reach.
• Ashworth College / James Madison High School: Ashworth College, parent of James Madison High School, offers accredited online high school diploma programs for adult learners and GED preparation. Directly comparable to FCAHS in serving adults seeking secondary credentials, with a fully online, self-paced delivery model competing for the same working-adult demographic.

Regional players

• Los Angeles Unified School District Division of Adult and Career Education: LAUSD Division of Adult and Career Education offers adult high school diploma, GED preparation, ESOL, and career technical education across multiple centers in Los Angeles. Comparable to FCAHS in program mix and public school district governance structure, but operates at much larger scale and serves a different metropolitan market.
• Houston Independent School District Adult Education: Houston ISD Adult Education provides GED preparation, adult basic education, ESOL, and career pathways to adult learners in the Houston area. Comparable to FCAHS as a large urban public school district adult education program serving a diverse working-adult population, though operating in a different regional market with different scale and demographics.
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools Adult & Community Education: Miami-Dade County Public Schools Adult and Community Education is a public adult education program offering GED prep, adult high school completion, ESOL, and career training in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Highly comparable to FCAHS in mission, structure, and program mix, but serves a different geographic market with distinct population demographics.

Broad incumbents

• Stride, Inc. (formerly K12 Inc.): Stride is a large publicly traded online learning company offering K-12 virtual schooling, career learning, and adult education programs through its Destinations Career Academy and other brands. Comparable as a broader online education incumbent with adult-serving offerings, though it operates at much greater scale and across multiple verticals beyond adult secondary education.
• Penn Foster Group: Penn Foster Group is the parent organization of Penn Foster and several other adult-focused education brands, including accredited high school, college, and career training programs. Comparable to FCAHS at the portfolio level given its adult diploma and GED preparation offerings, but operates as a larger multi-brand private education company.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/fcpsnews
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FairfaxCountySchools
• Facebookfacebook.com/fcpsva
• Instagraminstagram.com/fairfaxadulthsfcps
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/fairfax-county-adult-high-school

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fairfax County Adult High School