Emerging Technology, Quantum Education

Fairfax County Students to Learn on World’s First School Quantum Computer

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September 28, 2026 by Ivy Delaney

Skyview High School will be the first K-12 public school in the world to host an operational quantum computer, a machine surprisingly compact at roughly the size of a small refrigerator. The system, planned for installation in December, is designed specifically for hands-on student learning, allowing them to tackle practical problems like optimizing schedules and comparing quantum solutions to traditional computing methods.

“Our responsibility is to prepare our students for their future and not our past,” said FCPS Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid, adding that this initiative connects students’ passions with industry leaders to help them “discover what is possible.”

Skyview High School Launches First K-12 Quantum Learning Program

This system, designed specifically for educational purposes, moves beyond theoretical study by allowing students to directly interact with a functioning quantum processor. The initiative aims to equip students with skills applicable to rapidly evolving fields like cybersecurity, medicine and materials science, preparing them for careers that do not yet exist. Students will not simply learn about quantum computing. They will apply it to practical problems, such as optimizing scheduling algorithms, and directly compare quantum solutions to those produced by traditional computers.

This comparative approach will illuminate both the potential and the current limitations of the technology, supporting a detailed understanding beyond abstract concepts. The program will initially focus on a quantum computing pathway, with plans to expand into a credit-bearing course offering dual-enrollment opportunities and industry-recognized credentials.

The installation of the system is scheduled for December, and the broader impact extends beyond Skyview’s walls; the school is anticipated to become a regional hub for quantum learning. Connected DMV’s Potomac Quantum Innovation Center is facilitating connections between FCPS and universities, research institutions, federal laboratories and other school systems across Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

This collaborative network intends to build a pipeline of quantum-ready talent, supported by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority’s efforts to link students with local businesses and technology leaders. “Regions that lead in quantum will be the ones that build the talent first,” said George D. The program’s emphasis on practical application is a deliberate strategy to address the growing demand for a skilled quantum workforce, particularly within the Greater Washington area where quantum companies are rapidly expanding.

The initiative reflects FCPS’s commitment to preparing students for future challenges, providing opportunities to explore emerging technologies and develop real-world skills. Dr. Gopalakrishnan Balasubramanian, Founder and CEO of XeedQ, emphasized the importance of early exposure to quantum technology. “Quantum computing is a rapidly emerging technology, and it demands a refreshing approach to education,” he said.

“We cannot wait for quantum computing to mature and then teach the next generation how to use it. Students need to be part of the breakthroughs as they happen, learning on real hardware and understanding the technology from the inside.” Superintendent Dr. Michelle Reid articulated the broader vision for the program, stating that the program’s design prioritizes not only technical skills, coding, mathematics, and data analysis, but also essential soft skills such as communication, collaboration and critical thinking, ensuring students are well-rounded and prepared for the challenges of a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Fairfax County Public Schools is taking a pioneering step by putting a real quantum computer in the hands of students.

Dr. Gopalakrishnan Balasubramanian, Founder and CEO of XeedQ
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Ivy Delaney

Ivy Delaney has been working with neural networks and machine learning since the mid-nineties, back when a couple of hidden layers and a long afternoon of training counted as ambitious. She has watched the field go from academic curiosity to the thing quietly running underneath everything, and she brings that long view to quantum computing. For Quantum Zeitgeist she covers the ground where the two fields meet. That means quantum machine learning and the variational algorithms it leans on, and it also means the less glamorous but more interesting story of classical machine learning already doing real work inside quantum machines, decoding error-correcting codes, calibrating noisy hardware and learning the error models that simulators depend on. She writes about the hardware those algorithms have to run on too, and about the post-quantum cryptography scramble that the same hardware has set off. Her stories typically start with the paper, whether that is peer-reviewed work, conference proceedings or an arXiv preprint, with the source linked so you can hold a claim up against the research it came from. She is unimpressed by benchmarks that will not say what they beat, and by demonstrations that only work in the press release.

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