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Warren County School Board fails to change May 22 from early release to full day after split vote
Summary
The school board voted on a motion to change May 22, 2025, from an early release day to a full student day to meet state-required instructional hours; the motion failed on a split vote.
The Warren County School Board considered and rejected a motion on May 7 to revise the 2024–25 school calendar so May 22 would be a full day for students and staff.
Administrators explained the request as a response to missed instructional hours caused by inclement weather and subsequent two-hour delays earlier in the year. Dr. Kostner told the board the division had submitted a waiver to the Virginia Department of Education but had not yet received a definitive response; absent approval, the division risked failing to meet required instructional time and losing state funding.
Board member discussion focused on competing burdens: forcing staff and families to cancel end-of-year plans versus the risk of forfeiting state aid. One board member suggested alternatives such as adding 15 minutes for eight days to recapture two hours; another said they would not approve the calendar change unless the state denied the waiver.
A motion to change May 22 to a regular full day was made and seconded. The roll call produced a split result and the motion failed; the chair stated, "It didn't pass." The board asked administration to seek further information from the state including the deadline to receive a waiver decision, the likely financial penalty, and any effect on credit-bearing instructional requirements.
Why it matters: Virginia code and the Department of Education require minimum instructional hours; failure to meet those hours can reduce state funding. The board did not adopt the calendar change at this meeting and requested follow-up information for a future decision.
