Fairfax Schools Superintendent Announces Resignation

FAIRFAX, VA — The superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools has announced she will resign this fall for a position with a non-profit in Ohio. The head of the schools for more than three years, Karen Garza is taking a position as president and CEO of Battelle for Kids, she announced late Monday.

The resignation is effective on or before Dec. 16. In an open letter on the FCPS website, Garza recognized the staff she has worked with since June 2013.

"We have assembled an outstanding leadership team in FCPS," she wrote. "I have every confidence that the great work that is underway throughout the system will continue and that all FCPS students will continue to thrive."

Garza wrote that she will work with the school board for a smooth transition.

There are over 180,000 students in Fairfax County schools. The district is home to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, frequently ranked the No. 1 school in the nation. In the latest rankings by U.S. News and World Reports, the district had six of the top 10 schools in Virginia.