Every fall the battle wages over starting school in August to get a jump on the learning curve vs. waiting until after Labor Day so resorts, ag businesses and the State Fair get the last drop of summer.
Currently, Minnesota is one of five states that require post-Labor Day starts, but state Rep. Connie Doepke, a Republican from Orono, has a compromise, reports the House Public Information Services.
She says, let the start in August, but require days off on the Thursday and Friday before Labor Day.
Speaking to the House Education Reform Committee, Doepke said:
“It is all about giving locally elected school boards the ability to adopt a school calendar that best meets the needs of their community. … While recognizing the need for an extended holiday at the end of the summer.”
The bill passed and moves to the House floor.
The story says both Education Minnesota and the Minnesota Business Partnership support the bill.
But Joel Carlson, representing the Congress of Minnesota Resort Owners, says the idea that early school starts improve school performance has not been proven and he's not excited about the new plan:
“We’ve been at this issue for a long, long time. We’ve tried compromise; we’ve been through four governors, four presidents and here we go again,” he said.