ACPS to Decide Whether to Apply for Earlier Start Date

The Alexandria School Board on Thursday evening will hear whether the superintendent believes the school system should once again apply to begin the city’s school year before Labor Day.

Alexandria City Public Schools last April decided to withdraw its request after it became clear that the state Board of Education would not approve it.

The school had argued that an earlier start date would benefit children and teachers who would gain more learning time, among other things.

The crux of the problem lies in the state’s interpretation of the law requiring all public schools in Virginia to start the year after Labor Day.

The School Board at its Thursday night meeting also will discuss the intersession program at modified calendar schools and Samuel Tucker Elementary.

The calendar for the year has been approved and School Board Chairman Sheryl Gorsuch told Patch that the discussion is expected to center around assuring “that we’ve done the technical step that releases the money so that the intersession can be funded for January.”

A related document that will be discussed on Thursday notes that the “intersession program has generally been viewed as highly successful at Tucker…However, at Mount Vernon where student achievement has not been as strong there is a concern,” which also is likely to be part of the dialogue.