COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
Department of Education

May 24, 2013

TO:  Division Superintendents

FROM:  Patricia I. Wright, Superintendent of Public Instruction

SUBJECT:  Pre-Labor Day Opening Waiver Requirements for the 2013-14 School Year

The 2013 Appropriation Act includes the following language in Item 139.A.17 (Direct Aid to Public Education):  “To provide additional flexibility, notwithstanding the provisions of § 22.1-79.1 of the Code of Virginia, any school division that was granted a waiver regarding the opening date of the school year for the 2011-12 school year under the good cause requirements shall continue to be granted a waiver for the 2012-13 school year and the 2013-14 school year.”

If your division certified a pre-Labor Day opening for some or all of the schools in your division during the 2011-12 school year, then you are automatically granted a waiver under the same conditions for the 2013-14 school year, under this Appropriation Act provision.

In the next few weeks, school divisions will be asked to report simply whether or not they are taking the pre-Labor Day waiver for the 2013-14 school year as a part of the Standards of Quality Compliance Report that includes other miscellaneous reporting requirements.  Instructions will be forthcoming shortly in a superintendent’s memorandum.

Please contact the Office of Policy at (804) 225-2092 or by e-mail at Policy@doe.virgina.gov if you have any questions.

PIW/SGP/kfg