PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth students will head back to school about a week earlier next school year.
According to the Portsmouth Public Schools 2025-26 calendar, schools in the district will have their first day on Monday, August 18—two weeks before Labor Day. The last day of school will be Friday, May 29 in 2026.
The earlier start was approved following a school board vote. The district says the change aligns with programming that starts in August. The schedule also works for the shared regional services the district partners with.
Starting early will also give students more time to learn and prep for "high-stakes testing," PPS says.
The 2024-25 school year started one week before Labor Day, meaning the next school year will start and end earlier.
