Anne Arundel board adopts 2026–27 calendar, sets Aug. 24 start and converts four late starts to early dismissals
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Summary
The Anne Arundel County Board of Education adopted the 2026–27 school-year calendar, setting the first student day for Aug. 24, 2026, and voting to convert four planned two‑hour late starts into two‑hour early dismissals after public concern about childcare and schedule impacts.
The Anne Arundel County Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt the 2026–27 school-year calendar, setting the first day of classes for Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, and approving changes to partial days intended to reduce disruption for families.
Board members debated the committee-recommended calendar after public commenters said the draft placed too much of summer break in June and created childcare burdens. Community member Kara Welch told the board, "Two weeks in August is just simply not enough time for our students in the summer," while another commenter, David Bachtdorf, said the proposed schedule contained "33 scheduled days off during the year," a pattern he said would strain working parents who lack paid time off.
Bob Mosher, the district’s chief communications officer, explained to the board that the calendar committee prioritized instructional balance and teacher professional development. Mosher said shifting the calendar later would require redistributing days across marking periods and teacher planning time, and noted committee members recommended late starts because they create more effective morning professional development than end-of-day sessions.
After discussion, Member Schallheim moved to set Aug. 24, 2026, as the first student day; that motion passed 8–0. Member Shaw then moved to convert all four planned two-hour late starts into two-hour early dismissals to address concerns about childcare and single-parent schedules; that motion passed 5–3 (ayes: Dr. Tobin, Miss McDermott, Miss Schallheim, Miss McFarland, Miss Pulliam; nays: Mr. Silkworth, Mr. Morgan, Miss Dent). The board adopted the calendar as amended by an 8–0 vote.
Superintendent Christopher Bedell told the board the FY2027 budget recommendation will be presented at the next meeting on Dec. 17 and emphasized that staffing and operational pressures make the coming budget "a tight budget year." Board members asked staff to provide earlier public calendars in future years to reduce late changes that disrupt before- and after-school programs.
The calendar package approved by the board includes the two-week winter break and the scheduling adjustments approved at this meeting. The district will post the adopted calendar and provide outreach to families and community partners about the changes.
