School Board Proposes 2017 Start Date Week Before Labor Day

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- Next summer, the school year could start before Labor Day for Fairfax County Public Schools.

The Fairfax County School Board has directed Superintendent Karen K. Garza to draft a calendar for the 2017-18 school year that begins the school year one week earlier prior to Labor Day, Fairfax County Public Schools announced.

Due to this action, the 2017-18 school year could begin on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, FCPS said. The Fairfax County School Board will vote on the proposal later this year.

School has started the day after Labor Day because of the Virginia “Kings Dominion” law. The 1986 law is so named to keep the summer vacation season going through Labor Day weekend.

FCPS found a loophole with Code of Virginia (22.1-79.1), which allows local Boards of Education to waive the state requirement to begin schools after Labor Day if a district is closed an average of eight days per year during five of the past 10 years due mainly to snow days. FCPS qualifies after averaging missing more than eight days per year.

This proposed change is being made to provide more instructional time before winter break, enhanced flexibility to help students and school staff members meet college application deadlines, and to end the school year earlier in June.

In order to help families and employees adjust, the board is providing direction 15 months prior to the change possibly going into effect.

Input from employee, parent and community stakeholders will be considered when developing the final 2017-18 calendar for School Board consideration in late fall.

The 2016-17 school year calendar was approved by the School Board on Dec. 3, 2015; the first day of the 2016-17 school year will be Sept. 6.

What do you think? Do you like the idea of school starting a week before Labor Day? Sound off in the Comments box below the story.

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