How the Boundary Is Decided
Fairfax County assigns high school by street address. The boundary locator at boundary.fcps.edu is the source, not zip code and not a listing site. One street can change the assignment, especially near Spring Hill Road and Lewinsville Road.
The Two Pyramids
Langley High is at 6520 Georgetown Pike in McLean homes, feeding from Cooper Middle. Cooper draws from Colvin Run, Churchill Road, Forestville, Great Falls, and portions of Spring Hill and Westbriar. McLean High is at 1633 Davidson Road, feeding from Longfellow Middle. Longfellow draws from Chesterbrook, Franklin Sherman, Haycock, Kent Gardens, and Timber Lane. All assignments are set under FCPS Policy 8130.
Where the Line Runs
The practical boundary runs through Great Falls homes, McLean, and Vienna homes near Georgetown Pike, Balls Hill Road, and Spring Hill Road. Areas that were once zoned for McLean High, including parts of Wolf Trap Woods and the Spring Hill corridor, were reassigned to Langley under Option B. That plan was adopted February 4, 2021 to relieve crowding at McLean and fill seats at Langley. By the 2025-26 school year, those neighborhoods are fully Langley.
Capacity and Why It Moved
FCPS presented McLean High at 118 percent of its design capacity and Langley at 83 percent in the December 2020 scope meeting. That gap drove the adjustment. Elementary boundaries did not move in that action. Rising juniors and seniors at the time were grandfathered.
What It Means If You Are Buying or Selling
A pyramid does not set value by itself. Lot size, condition, access to Tysons, and distance to McLean Metro or Georgetown Pike explain more than a ranking gap. Langley ranked No. 4 and McLean No. 6 in Virginia in U.S. News 2026-2027 via Northern Virginia Magazine, both top 10 with Thomas Jefferson at No. 1. U.S. News rates more than 27,000 schools on state assessments, college readiness, and graduation rates.
Application and magnet options are separate from your base school. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and other countywide programs require application. They do not change your base boundary.
If you are comparing the two pyramids, pull three things before you tour. One, a screenshot of the FCPS boundary result for the exact address. Two, sewer availability from Fairfax County DPWES if north of Chain Bridge Road. Three, a 90-day half mile comp set for that feeder, not the zip median. Search live McLean homes and Great Falls homes in the Cities We Serve hub for current inventory.
Sources & Data: FCPS Adopted McLean High School Boundary Adjustment February 2021, FCPS December 7 2020 Scope Meeting Presentation, SchoolProfiles.fcps.edu, Northern Virginia Magazine August 18 2026 summary of U.S. News Best High Schools 2026-2027. Boundary and program details change. Verify with FCPS before you write an offer.
Text Cornerstone Realty Group at (571) 441-1031 for a 5-minute check of the exact address on the FCPS boundary locator and a 90-day comp set for that block.
FAQ
Who decides which high school my address is zoned for?
Fairfax County assigns high school by street address. The boundary locator at boundary.fcps.edu is the source, not zip code and not a listing site. One street can change the assignment, especially near Spring Hill Road and Lewinsville Road.
How do the Langley and McLean High feeders work?
Langley High is at 6520 Georgetown Pike in McLean, feeding from Cooper Middle, which draws from Colvin Run, Churchill Road, Forestville, Great Falls, and portions of Spring Hill and Westbriar. McLean High is at 1633 Davidson Road, feeding from Longfellow Middle, which draws from Chesterbrook, Franklin Sherman, Haycock, Kent Gardens, and Timber Lane. All assignments are set under FCPS Policy 8130.
What changed with the 2021 boundary adjustment?
Areas once zoned for McLean High, including parts of Wolf Trap Woods and the Spring Hill corridor, were reassigned to Langley under Option B, adopted February 4, 2021, to relieve crowding at McLean and fill seats at Langley. By the 2025–26 school year, those neighborhoods are fully Langley, and rising juniors and seniors at the time were grandfathered. FCPS presented McLean High at 118 percent of design capacity and Langley at 83 percent in the December 2020 scope meeting; that gap drove the adjustment. Elementary boundaries did not move.
How do the two schools rank?
Langley ranked No. 4 and McLean No. 6 in Virginia in U.S. News 2026–2027 via Northern Virginia Magazine, both top 10 with Thomas Jefferson at No. 1. U.S. News rates more than 27,000 schools on state assessments, college readiness, and graduation rates.
Does the pyramid set home value?
Not by itself. Lot size, condition, access to Tysons, and distance to McLean Metro or Georgetown Pike explain more than a ranking gap.
What should I pull before touring homes in these pyramids?
Three things: a screenshot of the FCPS boundary result for the exact address, sewer availability from Fairfax County DPWES if north of Chain Bridge Road, and a 90-day half-mile comp set for that feeder, not the zip median. Note: TJHSST and other countywide programs require a separate application and don't change your base boundary: verify boundary and program details with FCPS before you write an offer.