Portsmouth Public Schools considers pre-Labor Day start

Portsmouth Public Schools is considering a pre-Labor Day start to the school year for 2023-24, and a decision could be made by the end of the year.

Chief communications officer Lauren Nolasco presented survey results from earlier this year to the School Board on Thursday. The survey was open for two weeks in September for parents and guardians, students and staff to share their thoughts on the early start. There was another category for parents and guardians who also work for the division. Nearly 4,000 people responded, and the results were mixed.

Nolasco described the parent and guardian response as a “tight race.” It was a nearly even split between those who supported an early start, which was 44.48%, and those who didn’t, at 44.94%. A small portion was undecided. She reported that an advisory group raised concerns about the school calendar as it related to testing, but some were more favorable of an early start when they learned that schools would be off the Friday before Labor Day.

Similarly, staff was almost evenly divided, according to the survey results. About 45% of staff was for an early start while about 43% was against. Concerns raised by an advisory group included teacher burnout, summer staffing and student engagement after Standards of Learning testing.

However, students were overwhelmingly against the idea. There were 270 student responses, and an advisory group said the students did not want change or for an early start to impact their summer plans. About 70% opposed an early start and about 20% were in support. When students were told that an early start meant school would be out for the summer earlier, some were more favorable, Nolasco said.

The parents and guardians who also work for the school division were also against the early start, but there was no further feedback.

Superintendent Elie Bracy said one of the advantages of a pre-Labor Day start would be “built-in extra time” if there is a year of bad weather and the schools have to make up school days. There would also be more time before the SOLs to help students prepare. Board members raised concerns over how staff and families would adjust to the change, though Bracy said he believes it would be possible to give everyone that opportunity. The “key is to make the decision early,” he said.

A vote on the matter is set for December.

If Portsmouth schools were to make the shift to a pre-Labor Day start, the schools system would be joining those in Hampton, Newport News, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg-James City County and York County, which have already implemented the early start. Nolasco reported that the Isle of Wight, Norfolk and Poquoson school systems were considering the change.

Kelsey Kendall, kelsey.kendall@virginiamedia.com