School board approves calendar changes

The Fairfax County School Board approved a new calendar for the 2026-27 school year after eliminating the Veterans Day holiday.

The motion directs the superintendent to designate Veterans Day as a standard instructional day for students and staff for all subsequent years, and to implement a “Veterans Day observance curriculum” to instruct students in the meaning of this day.

Another motion approved by the school board directs the superintendent to schedule no more than eight early release days for elementary school students per school year. Those days give teachers extra time for planning and professional development.

The board rejected a motion to limit the number of early-release days to four.

Related story: School Board considers reducing the number of school holidays

The calendar for the current year designates eight Wednesdays as early-release days, although the early-release day in April was subsequently canceled.

A motion to make Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day a regular school day failed to pass.

Board members and parents had complained that the school calendar has become too fragmented, with too many days off and not enough five-day weeks, resulting in childcare burdens and a shorter-than-ideal summer break.

The school board directed the superintendent to recommend to the board by July 9 calendars for school years 2027-28 and 2028-29 that incorporate community engagement.

Schools will be closed on April 21 to accommodate voters for the special election on redistricting.