Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Comments

Department of Education

State Board of Education

Guidance Document Change: Revisions to the Guidelines for Considering and Approving Requests for Pre-Labor Day Openings are needed to comport with HB 1652 and SB 1005, which were approved by the 2019 General Assembly. These bills permit all school divisions to begin school up to 14 days before Labor Day, effective July 1, 2019. This legislation also eliminates all of the existing “good cause” waivers and permits the Board to provide “good cause” waivers for school divisions providing year-round instructional programs, applicable only to the opening date for the schools in the division that are providing year-round programs. Amendments are proposed to the Guidelines to align with the legislative changes, including: • Removing all guidelines related to the “good cause” waivers that are no longer permitted by law. • Establishing guidelines for the Board to grant “good cause” waivers for school divisions providing a year-round instructional program, and delegating the authority to grant such waivers to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

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9/3/19 9:56 pm

Commenter: Rinda Theibert

it is just cruel

don't start school until after labor day... it is just mean …

CommentID: 75966

9/11/19 4:34 pm

Commenter: Ashley Bauman

Yes to Earlier Start Date

As a teacher in the Virginia Beach city public school system, I completely support an earlier start date. Finishing school up around the end of May would align more with SOL testing, TCC schedules, and AP testing dates. For many this would provide more time to prepare for the tests and less time being wasted after testing. We can always find something important to teach after testing but for most students, testing signals the end of the course and treat it so. I believe it would raise morale among staff and students.

CommentID: 76067

9/12/19 11:29 am

Commenter: Stefanie Coninx

Earlier start if we get out of school earlier

The past couple of years we have gone back and missed a day or two of the first week due to hurricanes if we go back earlier we wouldn’t have it happen the first week hopefully. Plus if we start before Labor Day we could enjoy the 3 day weekend versus stressing about school starting back up. And we could get out earlier maybe before Memorial Day ;)

CommentID: 76119

9/12/19 4:49 pm

Commenter: Michelle Moore

Tourist Season / Hurricane Season

I've always supported the later start because at least here in Virginia Beach, we need teenagers to work through the tourist season. The later the start, the fewer potential days missed due to hurricane season.

CommentID: 76138

9/13/19 5:39 pm

Commenter: Roseann Liberatore

Do not start school earlier. Keep it the day after Labor Day

Don’t mess with a good thing. There has been no problem in Virginia Beach with school starting after Labor Day why change it? Our busses don’t have to be on the roads in August when tourists are still in town and the oceanfront venues are still happening. The students prefer it start after Labor Day too! Please include them in your decision. We don’t need to jump on the bandwagon just because everyone else is. Part time 10 month school employees can keep their summer jobs and provide for their families too.

CommentID: 76162

9/13/19 7:22 pm

Commenter: Chastin Scharfe

Please don’t start before Labor Day!

Please don’t change the start date to August. Not only will school kids be competing with the tourist traffic, I believe our economy will take a hit too. Less end of summer concerts, Ocean Breeze trips, aquarium, Busch Gardens, meals out, etc. it will also conflict with all the kids headed off to college. Parents divided between getting a college kid settled or staying home to get kids off to vbcps. In addition o more summer jobs with holes if both HS and college kids depart simultaneously.

CommentID: 76163