WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Summer break will be shorter this year for Palm Beach County students and teachers if a proposed calendar for the 2021-2022 school year is approved by district leaders next week.
Under the plan, the new school year would start on Tuesday, Aug. 10.
The last day of the current school year is June 18, meaning teachers and students would have less than two months for summer break.
While that seems short, it's important to remember that the start of the current school year in Palm Beach County was delayed by three weeks because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the proposed calendar for the 2021-2022 school year, the last day of the first semester would be Wednesday, Dec. 22.
Winter break would run from Dec. 23 to Jan. 4, 2022 for students, with Jan. 4 being a teacher work day.
The second semester would run from Jan. 5, 2022 to May 26, which would be the last day of the school year.
Spring break would be March 14 to 21 for students, with March 21 being a teacher work day.
Palm Beach County School Board members are scheduled to discuss and vote on the proposed school calendar at their Jan. 20 meeting.
The school board is expected to discuss the calendar at Wednesday's meeting at 5 p.m.
At least one school board member says her biggest concern is students and teachers having enough time to prepare for testing.
"One of the priorities I've had through all this is recognizing how far behind our children are and how much time needs to be made up, through all the efforts we’ve made this year, children are still struggling." said board member Erica Whitfield. "Giving our teachers that opportunity to prepare students for the testing that we know is coming up in the spring, and happens across the state at the same time no matter when we start school so giving them as much opportunity to get the students ready, to make sure our students do as well as they can."
SEE PROPOSED SCHOOL CALENDAR: