Phillips School - Fairfax

Phillips School – Fairfax emphasizes supportive, highly individualized education for students whose needs have not been met in traditional settings, using a strengths-based approach to build growth, independence, and success. Instruction is delivered in small, self-contained classes with differentiated teaching aligned to each student’s IEP, supported by a trauma-informed, multidisciplinary team that addresses academic, behavioral, emotional, and social needs.

PHILLIPS School – Fairfax admissions are handled primarily through a student’s public school system: during an IEP meeting, the parent/guardian and county discuss placement options and the public school sends a referral file to PHILLIPS for review. The referral file may include the student’s IEP, Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), plus relevant evaluations and transcripts; after review, PHILLIPS contacts parents to schedule an in-person interview and then determines whether an appropriate placement is available, with the final decision shared in writing with the family and county. For private placement, families/consultants are directed to contact the Fairfax campus admissions/program leadership directly (fairfaxadmissions@phillipsprograms.org / 703-591-1146) to discuss next steps. The website does not list application deadlines or specific admissions “key dates” (separate school calendars/important-dates documents are provided), and it does not describe a waitlist process. The site also does not state any priority categories; placement is described as based on fit and availability, with an additional note that PHILLIPS does not usually accept students whose primary concern is active substance misuse and that it follows applicable non-discrimination rules.