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Fairfax County Public Schools will move its limited early release schedule from Mondays to Wednesdays for the 2025-26 school year, addressing conflicts caused by Monday holidays and disruptions to classes such as music and art.

Beginning in mid-September, each elementary school will hold eight three-hour early release days—about one per month. Families will receive their schools’ specific dates separately.

The change follows a recommendation from the Early Release Steering Committee, which includes parents, caregivers, school employees and central office staff, working with the Fairfax Association of Elementary School Principals.

FCPS introduced limited early release Mondays during the previous school year to give elementary instructional staff dedicated time for planning and professional development. The district says educators need that time to work on new textbooks, multi-tiered systems of support, Universal Design for Learning, Virginia Literacy Act requirements, the FCPS Strategic Plan and updated state reading and math Standards of Learning.

School officials pointed to gains recorded during the program’s first year. From fall to winter, the share of students in kindergarten through third grade meeting reading benchmarks increased by 11 percentage points. In grades three through six, multi-year data showed more students meeting or approaching grade-level reading expectations than in previous years.

Families are encouraged to have children use their normal transportation home at the earlier dismissal time. When necessary, however, schools will provide supervised activities for students who must remain on campus until the regular dismissal time.

The eight shortened days will not prevent students from receiving Virginia’s required instructional hours. They will, however, reduce the number of snow days built into the school calendar.