Virginia Beach Students to Keep Extended School Hours Until June 8
- The Virginia Beach School Board voted on April 14, 2026, to maintain a 10-minute extension to the daily school schedule for students through June 8, 2026.
- The school division scheduled a closure on April 21, 2026, to accommodate a special election.
- During the meeting on April 14, 2026, School Board Member Melinda Rogers introduced a motion to suspend Policy 6-13 and remove the additional 10 minutes from the daily...
The Virginia Beach School Board voted on April 14, 2026, to maintain a 10-minute extension to the daily school schedule for students through June 8, 2026. The decision follows a failed proposal to revoke the additional instructional time that had been implemented to compensate for a planned school closure.
The school division scheduled a closure on April 21, 2026, to accommodate a special election. This election consists of a referendum regarding mid-cycle redistricting for the state’s congressional districts. To ensure instructional requirements are met despite the closure, the board previously voted to add 10 minutes to every school day.
During the meeting on April 14, 2026, School Board Member Melinda Rogers introduced a motion to suspend Policy 6-13 and remove the additional 10 minutes from the daily schedule. The motion was rejected in a 4-6 vote.
The members who voted in favor of removing the extra minutes were Melinda Rogers, Matt Cummings, Sharon Felton and Dr. Alveta Green. The motion was defeated by the votes of Chair Kathleen Brown, Vice Chair Carolyn Weems, Michael Callan, David Culpepper, Mark Bohenstiel, and Rose Dwyer.
Instructional Policy and Alternatives
The debate over the schedule extension centers on School Board Policy 6-13. This policy stipulates that the school year must consist of at least 180 days. However, it also allows the school division to develop an alternate schedule provided that a minimum of 990 hours of instructional time is achieved.
Opponents of the daily extension have urged the board to adopt the 990-hour instructional model, a system utilized by several other school divisions. Robin Gardner with the Virginia Beach Education Association stated that the division already exceeds the necessary hours for seat time, suggesting that this model would serve as a remedy to avoid extending the school day.
The extended school day began on April 13, 2026, the date students returned from their spring break.
Community and Educator Concerns
The decision to extend the school day has drawn criticism from both parents and educators. Robin Gardner of the Virginia Beach Education Association reported that the change has caused complete chaos
for staff and families across the division.
These concerns led to the creation of a petition asking the School Board to reconsider the schedule change. The petition has gathered more than 1,500 signatures and previously requested a special meeting before the end of the spring break period.
Specific challenges cited by the Virginia Beach Education Association include disruptions to the schedules of high school students who hold jobs after school, as the extension may cause them to arrive late to work. Parents expressed worry over disruptions to sports practices and scheduled therapy appointments.
Teachers have also raised concerns regarding the timing of the extension. Educators currently preparing students for Standards of Learning (SOL) exams indicated that the additional daily minutes add pressure during an already demanding period of the school year. One teacher described the change to Gardner as the straw that broke the camel’s back
.
Board Member Matt Cummings noted the importance of the school board receiving public input and hearing stories regarding how such administrative decisions impact students and their families.