New law lets Virginia schools start earlier

(The Center Square) – Virginia students can head back to class earlier under a change to state law giving local school boards more flexibility over when the school year begins. The change comes as students across the Richmond area return to classrooms this week. The law, which took effect July 1, allows school divisions to schedule the first day of class as early as 14 days before Sept. 1. For the 2026-27 school year, that meant schools could open as early as Tuesday of last week. Before the change, Virginia law generally set the earliest start date at 14 days before Labor Day. The General Assembly approved the change this year through House Bill 1455, which amended Virginia's school calendar law. The new law replaces Labor Day with Sept. 1 as the date used to determine how early classes may begin. School divisions are not required to open earlier. Local school boards still decide when classes begin within the window allowed by state law. Some divisions took advantage of the earlier window this year. Goochland County Public Schools brought prekindergarten, kindergarten, sixth- and ninth-grade students back Aug. 17, followed by all students a day later. Amelia County Public Schools also listed Aug. 18 as its first day of school. Richmond Public Schools began its staggered return Monday, with preschool through fifth grade and students in sixth and ninth grades returning. Students in seventh and eighth grades and grades 10 through 12 return Tuesday. Virginia's rules on school start dates have changed several times in recent years. Before 2019, most school divisions generally could not begin classes before Labor Day without a waiver. Lawmakers later gave divisions more flexibility to start earlier. This year's change moves the earliest allowable start date again, this time tying it to Sept. 1 instead of Labor Day. Schools that begin classes before Labor Day are still generally required to close from the Friday immediately before Labor Day through the holiday. The Virginia Board of Education can waive that requirement for qualifying year-round instructional programs. The change gives local officials more room when building calendars around instructional days, testing, holidays and school breaks. For families, the new law does not mean every Virginia school will begin in mid-August. It gives local school boards a wider window to decide when students return each fall.