Development of the 2023-24 School Year Calendar

12/16 Update: At the December 15 School Board meeting, the School Board approved the Revised Option Two 2023-24 School Year Calendar. The approved 2023-24 School Year Calendar includes 180 student instructional days, a start date of Aug. 28, and a shorter Winter Break (8 days).

View the Approved 2023-24 School Year Calendar

Overview

APS is seeking feedback from students, staff, families, and community members related to the development of the 2023-24 School Year Calendar. The survey will be available to complete between October 25 – November 8. This is the second year the School Year Calendar Survey process has happened early in October because it allows ample time for students, staff, and families to plan for the next school year. The School Board will take action on the Superintendent’s Proposed 2023-24 School Year Calendar at the School Board Meeting on December 15.

Calendar Options

For the 2023-24 school year, there are three calendar options for the community to review. All the calendar options have a start date before Labor Day. One of the calendars has a school start date on August 21, 2023, which is one week earlier than the start of the 2022-23 school year, while the other two options start one week before Labor Day on August 28, 2023. Another difference between the three calendar options is one of the options maintains a two-week winter break while the other two have a 10-day winter break. It is important to note the option one calendar is the only calendar proposal that has a start date and winter break that aligns with neighboring school divisions.

The following chart highlights some of the differences between the three calendar options.

Calendar Survey

The survey is now closed and was available to be completed between October 25, 2022 – November 8, 2022.

Calendar Committee

The calendar options are developed based on the initial feedback provided by the Calendar Committee that began meeting in September. The calendar committee is led by the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and is composed of the following members:

• Elementary, Middle, and High School Principal Representatives
• Representatives from the Arlington Education Association (AEA) that consists of teachers and support staff
• Representatives from individual school PTAs and the County Council of PTAs (CCPTA)
• Representatives from central office departments, including the following: Academics, Human Resources, Planning & Evaluation, School & Community Relations, School Support, and Transportation

Calendar Development Timeline

• September – October: Calendar Committee meets to review calendar proposals
• October 25: Survey Begins
• November 8: Survey Ends
• December 1: Superintendent’s Proposed 2023-24 Calendar Presented to the School Board as an Information Item (View School Board Presentation)
• December 15: Superintendent’s Proposed 2023-24 Calendar Scheduled for School Board Action (View School Board Presentation)

FAQs

Why is it important to align calendars to neighboring jurisdictions?

Fifty-two percent of APS staff live outside of Arlington. As a result, being out of alignment with neighboring school divisions means staff who have school-aged children are more likely to miss work due to those schedules. Aligning our schedules reduces the need for substitute teachers and ensures our staff is able to deliver high-quality instruction to students.

Why is school closed for multiple religious holidays?

APS is committed to an inclusive learning experience for all students and embraces the recognition of our diverse students and staff. As a reminder, APS’s vision is “To be an inclusive community that empowers all students to foster their dreams, explore their possibilities, and create their futures.” In addition, inclusivity is one of our (APS) core values (i.e., “Inclusivity: Strengthen our community by valuing people for who they are, nurturing our diversity, and embracing the contributions of all students, families, and staff”). As a result, we will continue to recognize the various religious holidays that are included on the school year calendar.

How does APS account for snow days?

The calendar options provide for either 179 or 180 student instructional days. The Code of Virginia and Virginia Department of Education require either 180 days of attendance or 990 hours of attendance. Historically, APS exceeds the required number of hours, and we use those hours in lieu of “make-up days.”

Information Resources

• Development of the 2022-23 School Year Calendar

For additional information or questions regarding the 2023-24 school year calendar, email engage@apsva.us.