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You are here: Fairfax County Public Schools > Publications > Opt Out Booklet > Grades K-8 School Counseling Opt-Out

Opt-Out Choices: School Counseling

You have the right to withdraw your student from academic or career counseling provided by the school, personal-social counseling provided by the school, or both.

The counseling program is part of the comprehensive education provided to all students and focuses on teaching positive approaches toward school and learning and the knowledge and skills for life and employment. It includes:

• Academic counseling, which helps students and their parents learn about required curriculum and testing and choose appropriate courses leading to graduation and a transition to college, career, and other educational opportunities.
• Career counseling, which helps students acquire information and skills in order to plan for work, jobs, apprenticeships, postsecondary education, and career opportunities.

The counseling program helps students develop an understanding of themselves and of the rights and needs of others; learn to resolve conflicts; and set individual goals reflecting their interests, abilities, and aptitudes. Personal-social counseling may be provided in groups (e.g., all fifth graders) in which general issues of social development are addressed (e.g., peer relationships) or in structured individual or small group multisession counseling that focuses on the specific concerns of the participant(s) (e.g., social skills, grief, or anger management).

Participation in short-term personal-social counseling of an individual or small-group nature requires written notice to parents. Parental notice is not required for short-term personal-social counseling and/or crisis intervention that is needed to maintain order, discipline, or a productive learning environment.

You may excuse your child from academic or career counseling or from personal-social counseling at any time by completing the opt-out form. An opt-out request will remain in effect from the day it is received by the school throughout the student’s K-12 career in FCPS, unless the opt-out request is rescinded by the parents in writing. Parents who elect to have their child excused from academic or career counseling shall have sole responsibility to ensure that all academic and graduation requirements are fulfilled. Please consult the current versions of FCPS Policy 2501.3; Regulations 2501.2 and Notice 2122.2 for more information.

Opt-Out Form (pdf)