Fairfax needs to keep children in school five days a week

The scarcity of the five-day school week is negatively affecting children, especially younger ones who are beginning to develop basic skills and disadvantaged students. FCPS is surveying parents on adding more student holidays to the calendar — to be used for professional development. Should FCPS include additional student holidays, educational inequities will increase within the school system, and private school will become more attractive for families with resources to afford other options.

FCPS needs to return to a consistent five-day instructional week without lengthening the school year. FCPS should end countywide professional development days for teachers that occur during the school year, shift development to the summer and pay teachers for their additional work.