{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/22.1-79.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/22.1-79.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/22.1-79.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/22.1-79.1.html"}],"law_id":66917,"edition_id":1,"section_id":66917,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-79.1","catch_line":"Opening of the school year; approvals for certain alternative schedules","history":"1986, c. 587; 1998, c. 702; 2003, c. 724; 2010, cc. 49, 88; 2011, cc. 216, 387; 2015, cc. 701, 702; 2019, cc. 569, 570, 637; 2020, cc. 582, 695.","full_text":"A\n\nEach local school board shall set the school calendar so that the first day students are required to attend school shall be no earlier than 14 days before Labor Day. In each school division in which the school board sets the school calendar so that the first day students are required to attend school is before Labor Day, such school board shall close each school in the school division from the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day through Labor Day. The Board of Education may waive this requirement based on a school board certifying that it meets the good cause requirements of subsection B.B\n\nFor purposes of this section, “good cause” means a school division is providing its students, in the school year for which the waiver is sought, with instructional programs that are offered on a year-round basis by the school division in one or more of its elementary or middle or high schools. Any waiver provided pursuant to this subsection shall only apply to the opening date for those schools where such year-round instructional programs are offered.C\n\nIndividual schools may propose, and local school boards may approve, pursuant to guidelines developed by the Board of Education, alternative school schedule plans providing for the operation of schools on a four-day weekly calendar, so long as a minimum of 990 hours of instructional time is provided for grades kindergarten through 12.D\n\nNotwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other provision of law, the school board of any school division located in Planning District 16 that was not granted a good cause waiver pursuant to this section for the 2018-2019 school year but would qualify for such a waiver pursuant to this section as it was in effect prior to July 1, 2019, for the 2019-2020 school year may set the school calendar so that the first day students are required to attend is earlier than Labor Day, including earlier than 14 days before Labor Day. Additionally, the school board of any school division located in Planning District 16 that is entirely surrounded by two school divisions that either were granted a waiver pursuant to Chapter 3 of the Acts of Assembly of 2012, Special Session I, or would qualify for a good cause waiver pursuant to this section as it was in effect prior to July 1, 2019, for the 2019-2020 school year may open schools on the same opening date as either such surrounding school division.E\n\nNotwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other provision of law, the school board of any school division from which students attend Northern Neck Technical Center may set the school calendar so that the first day that students are required to attend school is earlier than Labor Day, including earlier than 14 days before Labor Day.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":242618,"text":"Each local school board shall set the school calendar so that the first day students are required to attend school shall be no earlier than 14 days before Labor Day. In each school division in which the school board sets the school calendar so that the first day students are required to attend school is before Labor Day, such school board shall close each school in the school division from the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day through Labor Day. The Board of Education may waive this requirement based on a school board certifying that it meets the good cause requirements of subsection B.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":242619,"text":"For purposes of this section, “good cause” means a school division is providing its students, in the school year for which the waiver is sought, with instructional programs that are offered on a year-round basis by the school division in one or more of its elementary or middle or high schools. Any waiver provided pursuant to this subsection shall only apply to the opening date for those schools where such year-round instructional programs are offered.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":242620,"text":"Individual schools may propose, and local school boards may approve, pursuant to guidelines developed by the Board of Education, alternative school schedule plans providing for the operation of schools on a four-day weekly calendar, so long as a minimum of 990 hours of instructional time is provided for grades kindergarten through 12.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":242621,"text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other provision of law, the school board of any school division located in Planning District 16 that was not granted a good cause waiver pursuant to this section for the 2018-2019 school year but would qualify for such a waiver pursuant to this section as it was in effect prior to July 1, 2019, for the 2019-2020 school year may set the school calendar so that the first day students are required to attend is earlier than Labor Day, including earlier than 14 days before Labor Day. Additionally, the school board of any school division located in Planning District 16 that is entirely surrounded by two school divisions that either were granted a waiver pursuant to Chapter 3 of the Acts of Assembly of 2012, Special Session I, or would qualify for a good cause waiver pursuant to this section as it was in effect prior to July 1, 2019, for the 2019-2020 school year may open schools on the same opening date as either such surrounding school division.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":242622,"text":"Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other provision of law, the school board of any school division from which students attend Northern Neck Technical Center may set the school calendar so that the first day that students are required to attend school is earlier than Labor Day, including earlier than 14 days before Labor Day.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13368,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Powers and Duties of School Boards","identifier":"7","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12823,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:43","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:43","permalink":{"id":184095,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13368,"identifier":"7","token":"22.1\/7","url":"\/22.1\/7\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12823,"edition_id":1,"name":"Education","identifier":"22.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":180949,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12823,"identifier":"22.1","token":"22.1","url":"\/22.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":56889,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-71","catch_line":"School board constitutes body corporate; corporate powers","url":"\/22.1-71\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-71","metadata":false},{"id":80856,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-72","catch_line":"Annual organizational meetings of school boards","url":"\/22.1-72\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-72","metadata":false},{"id":80333,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-73","catch_line":"Quorum","url":"\/22.1-73\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-73","metadata":false},{"id":78594,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-74","catch_line":"Minutes of meetings","url":"\/22.1-74\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-74","metadata":false},{"id":86210,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-75","catch_line":"Procedure in case of tie vote","url":"\/22.1-75\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-75","metadata":false},{"id":63104,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-76","catch_line":"Chairman; clerk; vice-chairman; deputy clerk; terms; compensation and bonds of clerk and deputy clerk; officers ineligible to serve as clerk and deputy clerk; approval of division superintendent's designee","url":"\/22.1-76\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-76","metadata":false},{"id":60823,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-77","catch_line":"Duties of clerk","url":"\/22.1-77\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-77","metadata":false},{"id":78612,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-78","catch_line":"Bylaws and regulations","url":"\/22.1-78\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-78","metadata":false},{"id":54343,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-79","catch_line":"Powers and duties","url":"\/22.1-79\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-79","metadata":false},{"id":66917,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-79.1","catch_line":"Opening of the school year; 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payment of costs, expenses and liabilities; consent of governing bodies required prior to institution of proceedings","url":"\/22.1-82\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-82","metadata":false},{"id":61321,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-83","catch_line":"Payment of employee's legal fees and expenses","url":"\/22.1-83\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-83","metadata":false},{"id":58731,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-84","catch_line":"Insurance","url":"\/22.1-84\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-84","metadata":false},{"id":86141,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-85","catch_line":"Fund for payment of hospital, medical, etc., services provided officers, employees and dependents","url":"\/22.1-85\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-85","metadata":false},{"id":67471,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-86","catch_line":"Meetings of people of school division; local committees","url":"\/22.1-86\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-86","metadata":false},{"id":84284,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-86.1","catch_line":"Appointment of student representatives to local school boards","url":"\/22.1-86.1\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-86.1","metadata":false},{"id":57040,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-87","catch_line":"Judicial review","url":"\/22.1-87\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-87","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":54343,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-79","catch_line":"Powers and duties","url":"\/22.1-79\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-79","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":72475,"structure_id":13368,"section_number":"22.1-79.2","catch_line":"Uniforms in public schools; Board of Education guidelines","url":"\/22.1-79.2\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-79.2","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/22.1-79.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1986. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 587 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1986 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online. It has been modified 7 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1998, chapter 702<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 724<\/a>; in 2010, chapters 49<\/a> and 88<\/a>; in 2011, chapters 216<\/a> and 387<\/a>; in 2015, chapters 701<\/a> and 702<\/a>; in 2019, chapters 569<\/a>, 570<\/a>, and 637<\/a>; in 2020, chapters 582<\/a> and 695<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":85010,"section_number":"22.1-26","catch_line":"Joint and regional schools; regional public charter schools","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-26\/"},{"id":77449,"section_number":"22.1-98","catch_line":"Reduction of state aid when length of school term below 180 days or 990 hours","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-98\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":184133,"object_type":"law","relational_id":66917,"identifier":"22.1-79.1","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-79.1","url":"\/22.1-79.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/22.1-79.1\/","token":"22.1\/7\/22.1-79.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Opening of the school year; approvals for certain alternative schedules","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 22.1-79.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Each local school board<\/span> shall set the school calendar so that the first day students are required to attend school shall be no earlier than 14 days before Labor Day. In each school division in which the school board<\/span> sets the school calendar so that the first day students are required to attend school is before Labor Day, such school board<\/span> shall close each school in the school division from the Friday immediately preceding Labor Day through Labor Day. The Board of Education may waive<\/span> this requirement based on a school board<\/span> certifying that it meets the good cause<\/span> requirements of subsection B. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> For purposes of this section, “good cause<\/span>” means a school division is providing its students, in the school year for which the waiver<\/span> is sought, with instructional programs that are offered on a year-round basis by the school division in one or more of its elementary<\/span> or middle or high schools. Any waiver<\/span> provided pursuant to this subsection shall only apply to the opening date for those schools where such year-round instructional programs are offered. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Individual schools may propose, and local school boards<\/span> may approve, pursuant to guidelines developed by the Board of Education, alternative school schedule plans providing for the operation of schools on a four-day weekly calendar, so long as a minimum of 990 hours of instructional time is provided for grades kindergarten through 12. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other provision of law<\/span>, the school board<\/span> of any school division located in Planning District 16 that was not granted a good cause<\/span> waiver<\/span> pursuant to this section for the 2018-2019 school year but would qualify for such a waiver<\/span> pursuant to this section as it was in effect prior to July 1, 2019, for the 2019-2020 school year may set the school calendar so that the first day students are required to attend is earlier than Labor Day, including earlier than 14 days before Labor Day. Additionally, the school board<\/span> of any school division located in Planning District 16 that is entirely surrounded by two school divisions that either were granted a waiver<\/span> pursuant to Chapter 3 of the Acts of Assembly of 2012, Special Session I, or would qualify for a good cause<\/span> waiver<\/span> pursuant to this section as it was in effect prior to July 1, 2019, for the 2019-2020 school year may open schools on the same opening date as either such surrounding school division. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other provision of law<\/span>, the school board<\/span> of any school division from which students attend Northern Neck Technical Center may set the school calendar so that the first day that students are required to attend school is earlier than Labor Day, including earlier than 14 days before Labor Day. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nOPENING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR; APPROVALS FOR CERTAIN ALTERNATIVE SCHEDULES (\u00a7\n22.1-79.1)\n\nA. Each local school board shall set the school calendar so that the first day\nstudents are required to attend school shall be no earlier than 14 days before\nLabor Day. In each school division in which the school board sets the school\ncalendar so that the first day students are required to attend school is before\nLabor Day, such school board shall close each school in the school division from\nthe Friday immediately preceding Labor Day through Labor Day. The Board of\nEducation may waive this requirement based on a school board certifying that it\nmeets the good cause requirements of subsection B.\n\nB. For purposes of this section, “good cause” means a school\ndivision is providing its students, in the school year for which the waiver is\nsought, with instructional programs that are offered on a year-round basis by\nthe school division in one or more of its elementary or middle or high schools.\nAny waiver provided pursuant to this subsection shall only apply to the opening\ndate for those schools where such year-round instructional programs are offered.\n\nC. Individual schools may propose, and local school boards may approve, pursuant\nto guidelines developed by the Board of Education, alternative school schedule\nplans providing for the operation of schools on a four-day weekly calendar, so\nlong as a minimum of 990 hours of instructional time is provided for grades\nkindergarten through 12.\n\nD. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other provision of law,\nthe school board of any school division located in Planning District 16 that was\nnot granted a good cause waiver pursuant to this section for the 2018-2019\nschool year but would qualify for such a waiver pursuant to this section as it\nwas in effect prior to July 1, 2019, for the 2019-2020 school year may set the\nschool calendar so that the first day students are required to attend is earlier\nthan Labor Day, including earlier than 14 days before Labor Day. Additionally,\nthe school board of any school division located in Planning District 16 that is\nentirely surrounded by two school divisions that either were granted a waiver\npursuant to Chapter 3 of the Acts of Assembly of 2012, Special Session I, or\nwould qualify for a good cause waiver pursuant to this section as it was in\neffect prior to July 1, 2019, for the 2019-2020 school year may open schools on\nthe same opening date as either such surrounding school division.\n\nE. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other provision of law,\nthe school board of any school division from which students attend Northern Neck\nTechnical Center may set the school calendar so that the first day that students\nare required to attend school is earlier than Labor Day, including earlier than\n14 days before Labor Day.\n\nHISTORY: 1986, c. 587; 1998, c. 702; 2003, c. 724; 2010, cc. 49, 88; 2011, cc.\n216, 387; 2015, cc. 701, 702; 2019, cc. 569, 570, 637; 2020, cc. 582, 695.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}