The Baltimore County Board of Education approved a modified pre-Labor Day calendar for the 2026-27 school year after extended discussion and multiple roll-call votes.

The board adopted a calendar that converts the Dec. 9, 2026 and Apr. 21, 2027 half days into full days while retaining the Feb. 10, 2027 half day. The motion to accept that variant of the pre-Labor Day calendar passed by roll call after amendments and an additional procedural motion directing the calendar committee to present both pre- and post-Labor Day options for the next two school years with the fewest half days possible.

Why it matters: The debate centered on balancing instructional time for students against scheduled professional-development and grading time for teachers. Board members cited attendance data that show lower participation on half days and said removing select half days would simplify scheduling for families and better align instructional time. Staff told the board that three optional half days could be converted without violating state day/hour requirements and that other grading/reporting half days would remain.

What the board discussed and decided: School system staff presented three calendar options and answered board questions about data from other districts, the role of half days for teacher professional development, and spring-break length. Members who favored removing half days cited attendance declines on half days and parent confusion; members who opposed removing half days warned about losing in-person professional-development time and noted contractual and scheduling constraints.

The board initially considered competing motions (a post-Labor Day start with removed half days and several amendments). After a series of roll-call votes, the board adopted the compromise pre-Labor Day calendar variant that removes Dec. 9 and Apr. 21 half days, retains Feb. 10 as a half day, and tasks the calendar committee with producing both pre- and post-Labor Day calendars for 2027-28 and 2028-29 with the fewest half days recommended by the committee.

Implementation and next steps: Staff said the district will update BoardDocs and public materials to reflect the adopted calendar and that Oracle (the district's new financial system, scheduled for FY27) should improve reporting of programmatic and staffing details referenced in calendar planning. The calendar committee will return pre/post proposals for the two subsequent years as directed by the board.

Quotes: "We do want to remain aligned with some of our neighbors," calendar staff said during the presentation, while board members noted parental confusion around midweek half days and urged clarity. "Parents have a difficult time sometimes navigating half days of school," board member Pumphrey said during debate.

Ending: The board voted to move forward with the approved calendar variant; staff will publish the final calendar and the calendar committee will present options for the next two years in the fall of 2026 and 2027.