Pre-Labor Day Start Considered In Alexandria School District

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria City Public Schools will consider a pre-Labor Day first day of school after a state legislature decision now allows districts to start up to two weeks before Labor Day.

The school district said in a statement the timeline between the state legislature's action and 2020-2021 school calendar decision was too short. It's looking at making to the school calendar for 2021-2022.

The previous Virginia law nicknamed the "Kings Dominion Law" prevented school districts from opening before Labor Day. Districts could apply for a waiver if there a large number of snow days were used in the previous school year. The new law approved by the legislature in 2019 allows districts to open up to two weeks before Labor Day if they give students a four-day Labor Day weekend break.

"The pre-Labor day start is advantageous for student success because it reduces summer learning loss and provides the most classroom time before Advanced Placement (AP) exam testing," said ACPS in a statement. "It also helps reduce the summer learning gap for all students, but particularly younger students."

Three calendar options are open to public feedback. One involves a start after Labor Day, and two start before Labor Day. All options include 180 student days and 195 teacher days.

• Option 1 sets the first day of school as Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021. Students would get two weeks off for winter break and would be in school until June 22, 2022.
• Option 2 sets the first day of school as Thursday, Aug. 26, 2021, or six days before Labor Day. Students would have a four-day Labor Day weekend, which includes a day off on Friday, Sept. 3. Students would have two weeks for winter break and stay in school until June 15, 2022. This option aligns with Loudoun County Public Schools.
• Option 3 sets the first day of school as Tuesday, Aug. 24, or eight days before Labor Day. Students would have a four-day Labor Day weekend, which includes a day off on Friday, Sept. 3. Students would have two weeks for winter break and stay in school until June 10, 2022. This option aligns with Fairfax County Public Schools.

The school calendar survey is open through Jan. 24. The district's Academic Calendar Committee and administrators will evaluate responses and see if there's a preferred option. A calendar recommendation will be made to the superintendent. The superintendent will present the recommended option to the school board for approval in February 2020.

Neighboring Fairfax County has used waivers to start before Labor Day for several years, and Falls Church City Public Schools changed to a pre-Labor Day first day. Arlington County Public Schools recently surveyed families on a possible start before Labor Day in the next school year, ARLNow reported.