Rachna has lived and raised her family in the Braddock District for over two decades. She is a professor with a record of educational innovation, a lawyer, a long time advocate, and a current at-large member of the Fairfax County School Board. Rachna brings a solutions oriented collaborative approach to her work. She was elected by her colleagues to serve as Chair (‘22-’23) and Vice Chair (‘21-’22) of the school board, hiring the national superintendent of the year while addressing learning needs, standing up against book bans, raising salaries for educators, and passing a new strategic plan to innovate for the future.

Rachna’s children started in Fairfax County schools in 2004 so she knows firsthand how wonderful our schools are, but also of the work still needed to bring out the best in every child. On the board, she championed an innovative educational approach - strengths focused education - that focuses on developing student strengths while also meeting their needs so all can find their path to success. Her goal is to use her skills and experience to make a difference for every child, especially those who need it the most. She’s a strong leader with a proven track record, a history of collaborating with families and supporting teachers, and a passion for public education.

Rachna will work to protect public education and promote an excellent education for every student in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Rachna is one of only four current school board members seeking reelection to the school board. She led efforts to

• expand access to advanced academics, to counseling, to tutoring, deploy targeted interventions to address learning gaps and learning loss, and pass a budget focused on academic excellence, supporting educators, and mental health support,

• innovate with revamped literacy instruction, a new strategic plan, a special education enhancement plan,

• pass three years of teacher and staff raises and collective bargaining to help recruit and retain educators,

• hiring the 2021 National Superintendent of the Year, the nation’s first K-12 neurodiversity specialist and Virginia’s first K-12 twice exceptional coordinator,

• fight book bans and support the accurate teaching of history,

• accelerate safety enhancements, including vestibules, substance abuse prevention, stop arm cameras on busses, and weapons detection,

• implement fresh salad bars in schools, start middle schools sports for the first time since the late 1990s, and approve a three year inclusive calendar,

• increase supports for special education students and teachers and English learners

• expand pre-K and multilingual family engagement, and continue robust protections for LGBTQIA+ students and staff,

• add honors bumps for advanced arts programs, improve stipends for performing arts teachers, and extend contracts for special education teachers.

Rachna is running for the Braddock District seat on the school board with the support of her friend, current Braddock District member Megan McLaughlin, who is retiring.