Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Address
6560 Braddock Road Alexandria , Virginia 22312 United States
Coordinates	38°49′06″N 77°10′07″W / 38.81833°N 77.16861°W / 38.81833; -77.16861
Information
School type	Public, magnet high school
Founded	1985; 40 years ago (1985)
School district	Fairfax County Public Schools
Principal	Michael Mukai
Teaching staff	120.23 (FTE) (2023–24)
Grades	9–12
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	2,133 (2024–25)
Student to teacher ratio	16.78 (2023–24)
Campus type	Suburban
Color(s)	Red, white, and navy
Athletics conference	National District Region 6C
Team name	Colonials
Accreditation	SACS CASI
USNWR ranking	14 (2024)
Newspaper	tjTODAY
Yearbook	Techniques
Communities served	Northern Virginia
Feeder schools	Northern Virginia schools

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, also known as TJHSST or just TJ, is a special public high school in Fairfax County, Virginia. It is a magnet school, which means it attracts students from all over the region who are interested in a specific subject—in this case, science and technology.

The school is run by Fairfax County Public Schools. It is one of 18 special Governor's Schools in Virginia. Getting into TJ is very competitive. Students are chosen based on their grades, essays, and problem-solving skills.

History of the School

How the School Began

The building where TJ is located was first built in 1964 as a regular high school. In the early 1980s, leaders in the Fairfax County school system had an idea to create a special high school focused on science.

With help from the Virginia state government and technology companies, the plan came to life. Companies like Honeywell, Sony, and AT&T gave money and equipment to help get the school started. The new Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology opened in the fall of 1985.

Changes in the 21st Century

Between 2013 and 2017, the school building was updated with new science labs, a theater, and a large dome that looks like the one at Monticello, President Thomas Jefferson's home.

In the 2020s, the school faced some challenges. There were big discussions about its admissions process and how to make it fair for all students. The school changed its rules for how students are selected, which led to some disagreements and even a court case. In October 2024, the principal, Ann Bonitatibus, left for a new job. Michael Mukai, who went to TJ himself, became the new principal in January 2025.

How to Get Into TJ

Students from several counties in Northern Virginia can apply to TJ. To be eligible, students must have good grades (at least a 3.5 GPA) and be taking Algebra 1 or a higher math class in 8th grade.

The admissions process looks at the whole student. It includes:

• A student's grades.
• An essay where students solve a math or science problem.
• A "student portrait sheet" with essays about their skills and interests.
• Information about a student's background, like if they are from a low-income family or are learning English.

Each middle school in the area is guaranteed a certain number of spots at TJ. The rest of the spots are given to the highest-scoring applicants from the entire region. To keep things fair, the people who review applications do not know a student's name, race, or gender. Before 2020, students also had to take a special entrance exam.

Debates About Admissions

For many years, people have discussed the diversity of TJ's student body. The number of Black and Hispanic students has often been low compared to the general population of the area's schools.

In 2020, the school board changed the admissions rules to try to increase diversity. They got rid of the entrance exam and the application fee. They also gave each middle school a set number of spots for their students.

After these changes, the number of Black and Hispanic students who were accepted went up. The number of Asian Americans who were accepted went down. A group of parents called the Coalition for TJ sued the school board. They argued that the new rules were unfair to Asian American students.

The case went through several courts. In the end, the Supreme Court of the United States decided not to hear the case in February 2024. This meant the new admissions process could continue.

What Students Learn at TJ

The classes at TJ are designed to prepare students for college, with a special focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

All 9th graders take a special set of classes called IBEST. This program combines Biology, English, and Technology to help students get used to TJ's challenging classes.

As seniors, all students must complete a big research project. They can work in one of the school's advanced labs, like Neuroscience or Quantum Physics. Some students even work with professional scientists outside of school. At the end of the year, they present their research at a big event called tjSTAR.

Cool Tech Projects

Satellites in Space

Students in the Systems Engineering class have built and launched two small satellites called CubeSats.

• TJ3Sat: Launched in 2013, this was the first satellite built by high school students to be launched into space.
• TJREVERB: This second satellite was launched in 2022 and sent into orbit from the International Space Station.

Supercomputer Lab

TJ's Computer Systems Lab has its own supercomputer. A supercomputer is a very powerful computer that can solve complex problems. The school won its first one in a national competition in 1988. In 2002, Cray Inc. donated a new supercomputer named "Seymour," which is still on display at the school.

Awards and Achievements

TJ is often named one of the best high schools in the country. In 2021 and 2022, U.S. News & World Report ranked it as the #1 high school in the United States.

Students at TJ do very well on standardized tests. The average SAT score for the class of 2020 was 1528 (out of 1600), and the average ACT score was 34.5 (out of 36). The school also has many students who are recognized in national science competitions.

In 2011, President Barack Obama visited the school to sign a new law called the America Invents Act. This law updated the rules for getting a patent in the U.S.

Notable Alumni

Many TJ graduates have gone on to do amazing things.

See also

• Bronx High School of Science
• Coalition for TJ v. Fairfax County School Board
• Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
• Lowell High School (San Francisco)
• Stuyvesant High School