Despite pressure from a small but vocal contingent, trustees of Napa Valley Unified School District unanimously voted against changing the three-week winter break next year.

Trustees, voting on the matter for the third time in three months, said they hoped the decision would save money and improve the quality of education for all children. They requested that a district committee -- that would include parents -- be formed to study the matter at length.

Roughly 50 parents and teachers were at Thursday night's board meeting for the winter break vote, a notably smaller crowd than at prior meetings. More than 150 parents attended a town hall meeting in March about the winter break.

The ongoing dispute stems from a January board decision to lengthen the winter break to three weeks from two weeks in 2005.

The original vote on the break was taken at a meeting that was not widely publicized beforehand. Trustees again apologized for not involving more parents in the decision.

Five of the seven trustees acknowledged Thursday evening that their vote was influenced by the possible financial benefit.

School budgets are based in part on the number of students present in class each day. A sizable number of students are absent in December and January, including many children from immigrant families who visit Mexico during a lull in work for most farmworkers.

Superintendent John Glaser had recommended the change primarily on its educational merits, saying it would help to ensure that some of the neediest kids -- English learners among them -- had more time in the classroom.

Echoing the comments of fellow trustees, Alan Murray said, "Money is always a factor. It may not have been raised high on the flag pole, but it's always an issue."

Trustees had not indicated they were interested in reversing their decision before Thursday's meeting, and Glaser said his recommendation to try the three-week winter break for one year had not changed. Trustees were required to revisit the issue because a parent made a written request in March.

The teachers' union also weighed in. President of Napa Valley Educators Association, Roberta Wright, said every school's union representative had cast a vote in late March, with the exception of one abstaining, in favor of keeping the three-week break in place.

Parents were outraged by the board's decision, saying it was not based on evidence or backed up by newly-released data on absences in December and January.

The district has said that an estimated 1,100 children out of 17,000 students in the district missed school for extended family vacations last year.

Some parents said that number was too small to justify the change, and questioned the numbers released. "The majority always rules, and it should rule here, too," said Roxanna Horton, a parent. She said it would be difficult -- and maybe too expensive -- to make arrangements for daycare during the three-week winter vacation.

A few parents and teachers spoke in favor of the three-week break. "Thank you," said Kathy Baird, a mother, who was heckled by a few parents. Still, she lauded the board for giving her more time to spend with her family in December and January.

Under the new calendar, school will end one week later than normal, on June 8. School also will start one day earlier than in 2004, on Aug. 17. Winter break would be from Dec. 19 to Jan. 6.