In the past, Alexandria City Public Schools on a standard calendar have started after Labor Day, but that could change.
ACPS students go back to school Sept. 8 this upcoming school year, thanks to an unusually "late" Labor Day — the first Monday in September is Sept. 7.
However, Alexandria City Public Schools is considering starting school before Labor Day in 2021, meaning the school year would start in late August.
The school system is asking people to consider three options in this survey:
Option 1: Start after Labor Day, essentially maintaining the current calendar. School would end June 22, 2022.
Option 2: Align with Loudoun County, starting Aug. 26, 2021 and getting a four-day break for Labor Day weekend. School would end June 15, 2022. "This calendar provides additional classroom time before Advanced Placement (AP) exam testing and reduces summer learning loss."
Option 3: Align with Fairfax County, starting Aug. 24, 2021 and getting a four-day break for Labor Day weekend. School would end June 10, 2022. "This calendar provides the most classroom time before Advanced Placement (AP) exam testing and reduces summer learning loss."
While switching to a pre-Labor Day start would shorten summer break in 2021 due to the transition from the traditional calendar (ending classes in late June for K-8) to a new calendar (starting school in August for everyone), summer vacation would return to its normal length in 2023 and beyond if the school system continues to start before Labor Day.
Now that the Commonwealth of Virginia is allowing exceptions to the so-called "King's Dominion" rule that required most school systems to start after Labor Day, more school systems are throwing out the traditional calendar.
Fairfax County Public Schools now start before Labor Day, as do Loudoun County Public Schools. Arlington County Public Schools are considering moving to a pre-Labor Day start.
Take the survey and submit your comments to ACPS here: https://acpsweb.wufoo.com/forms/r6a8tjx1isi3eq.
