Anthony Lampkin speaks on behalf of his two children at Wolf Trap Elementary during the April 9 Fairfax County School Board meeting.
The Fairfax County School Board finalized the upcoming school year calendar by approving a motion from at-large member Kyle McDaniel with a vote of 8-4 at its April 9 meeting. Fairfax County Public Schools is an outlier in Northern Virginia with significantly more student holidays than neighboring districts.
The decision followed extensive debate regarding instructional time, federal holidays, early release schedules and Indigenous Peoples Day, incorporating three specific motions intended to improve instructional consistency and address calendar concerns.
According to McDaniel in his school board bulletin update the next day, the 2026-27 school year calendar will reduce the number of off days from a “a record-setting 40 days off … to 33 next year” and “adds three more full five-day weeks.”
The largest change for the next school year that the board approved is the return of Veterans Day as a full instructional day.
“I’ve had many conversations with parents and teachers in the community over the past few weeks, and it’s clear that this year has been uniquely difficult with a record-setting 40 days off,” McDaniel said. “We need to carefully review the school calendar to be responsive to the needs of our diverse communities around holidays and ensure we maximize instructional time, while still balancing the needs of our teachers for planning and professional development.”
According to current 2025-26 student holiday counts across the region, while Fairfax County has 40 days off, Arlington County has 33 days off; Prince William has 32 days off; Loudoun County has 30 days off and Alexandria City has 29 days off.
The board also committed to further calendar policy work in May and issued a directive for the superintendent to bring recommended calendars for 2027-2029 to the board in July. A follow-on motion was passed directing the superintendent to present recommended calendars for the 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 school years at the July 9, 2026, meeting.
During the public hearing portion of the meeting before the vote, Anthony Lampkin spoke to represent his two children at Wolf Trap Elementary. He expressed his concerns regarding the current school calendar, noting it as the "worst school calendar" and advocating for a “data-driven approach on how to solve the problem.” He said, “I believe we are at about 50 percent of the school calendar having a full five-day week.”
Stephanie Lundquist provided video testimony. “Half of our school weeks are not five-day weeks like this one; a three-day school week for no apparent reason directly after spring break," Lundquist said. "Aside from the learning disruption for some low-income families, to pay for more childcare is regressive and inequitable. You claim to believe in the concept of equity, but what about the children from low-income households?”
Kimberly Adams, an FCPS staff member and parent, urged the board to reestablish a calendar committee and prioritize student and staff well-being over five-day weeks. ”I would encourage you to listen closely to the community and offer room for public discussion at least one full year in advance of any proposed changes,” Adams said.