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Board tables 2026–27 school calendar after broad feedback on break placement and continuity
Summary
After receiving family and staff survey results and a lengthy discussion about attendance, testing windows and teacher professional‑development timing, the Bentonville School Board voted unanimously to table approval of the 2026–27 calendar for further work by the district calendar committee.
At its Feb. 18 meeting the Bentonville School District Board of Education voted to table approval of the 2026–27 academic‑year calendar after extended discussion about timing of breaks, testing and staff professional development.
School staff presented results from a district survey: 732 families (about 3 percent of 19,575 households) responded and 409 offered written comments; staff also reported 841 employees voted on the calendar with 94 percent approval, and 308 classified staff responded with 91 percent approval. Presenters said the most significant change since the draft was moving the October fall break to produce a long weekend.
Board members and staff debated whether the district should keep a teacher workday on Jan. 4 and a staff‑development day on March 19 — both dates that can break up instructional continuity and, presenters said, are associated with lower attendance on adjacent days. District staff shared attendance figures showing the Friday before spring break had fallen from about 92 percent attendance three years ago to roughly 88 percent most recently; elementary grades produced most of the decline, staff said. Some board members urged exploring moving embedded professional development days later in the year or consolidating short weeks to promote longer runs of continuous instruction.
"We took all of your feedback in January," presenter Holly Loomis told the board, explaining the committee had weighed written comments and that the October change was the place where a schedule revision could be made without a larger overhaul. Board members asked the calendar committee to revisit alternatives, including shifting professional‑development days so parents and staff would not face frequent short weeks.
Following the discussion a motion to table item B (the calendar) was made by Jennifer (motion) and seconded by Jeremy. Becky called roll on the motion to table: Tatum — yes; Willie — yes; Joel — yes; Jennifer — yes; Jeremy — yes; Becky — yes; Kelly — yes. The motion carried and the item was returned to the calendar committee for revisions.
Board members and calendar presenters agreed to return revised options to the board; no final calendar was approved on Feb. 18.
