After studying the potential impact on the economy, summer tourism and public education, a state task force reportedly plans to recommend that Maryland public schools start the school year after Labor Day. If enacted, the move would delay the customary first day of school by about a week in many Maryland school systems, including Harford County Public Schools. Because the state currently requires 180 days of instruction, the later start date could also mean a later end to the school year each June.
Supporters of the statewide initiative, including Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, have said that the move would boost economic activity and generate added tax revenue. Detractors, including some local superintendents, have decried the loss of local control over school calendars that must incorporate inclement weather make up days, established testing dates, and professional development days for teachers.
Jillian Lader, HCPS manager of communications, did not immediately respond to The Dagger’s request for a comment from Superintendent Barbara Canavan.
By law, the state task force must present its findings and recommendations no later than June 30th for further consideration by Gov. Martin O’Malley and state legislators.
Do you agree or disagree with a recommendation that would delay the start of school in Harford County until after Labor Day?
UPDATE: On May 22, 2014, Jillian Lader, HCPS manager of communications, provided the following statement from Superintendent Barbara Canavan:
“I support the state superintendent’s position that local school districts should be granted autonomy regarding the start of school year. The post Labor Day start to school is replete with, but not limited to, complications pertaining to instruction, student assessments, professional development opportunities and preserving traditional family time throughout the school year for all members of our school community.”
That’s the way it used to be. They added too many days to the school year.
Having it start the day after memorial day leaves NO QUESTION as to when the first day is. It was easier to remember. It made more sense. Why we change anything that already works is beyond me. CHANGE IT BACK! 1st Day school SHOULD be the day after Labor day. There is no sense in what we do now having day 1 be on a Wednesday. or a Thursday. IN this instance the year will always start on a Tuesday. That way it was for years…
Since I, like the majority of people have no children in public school the only effect this has on me is I would spend my labor day weekend vacation in a state where schools have gone back, The outer banks are lovely that time of year the prices are off season and all the kids are gone. What is not to like?
You actually believe that the majority of people don’t have children in public school?!
The prices go down in the OBX because it is Hurricane season!
Hurricane season starts on June first ya big dummy.
Any extra days those big long yellow stank wagons are off the road is a blessing.
I HATE the idea. Most states are going away from that schedule. I don’t see how it is going to increase tax revenue? I came from a state that started in mid August and ended at the end of May (Snow days were then added at the end, so sometimes we went into the first week of June). Plus we had 1 week off in October and approx. 2 weeks for Christmas (and not as many as those random days off here and there). You could get great vacation rates at the end of May and beginning of June too. Plus the kids were ready to go back by August and are ready to get out at the end of May/beginning of June. For some reason, your summer seems longer when you get out at the end of May. If you don’t get out of school until late June, you can’t vacation until July/August…it can be very hot! The only added tax revenue would be from the people of Maryland because everyone else is back in school. Maryland gets plenty of our money now…everything does not need to be based on how much more they can suck from us!!! Because of this…we do not plan on staying in MD!
Though I like the idea of starting school after Labor Day (as a teacher and a parent) I am not sure it is the great boost it is being billed as. The fact is the kids still have to go to school 180 days, so this will mean one of two things. One would be the school year would just extend into June more then it currently does. Second would be that Christmas break and/or Spring Break would have to be shortened.
I listened to Peter Franchot on WBAL Radio this morning and like most politicans he was long on talk but short on answers. We asked about the fact it would push the school year more into June he simply said look at the calendar there is a way to get the 180 days in, without of course offereing any concrete soloutions. When pushed on it he mumbled something about Christmas and Spring break being shortened, again no real ideas just talk. He was a disappointment because in theory I think this idea is good, but he did nothing to help me defend the idea.
I know we use to do this when we were kids and all I get it. Until someone can show me on the calendar how it works, it is just talk that sounds good but is not actionable.
Plus one other thing that may be the point that gets me in trouble with some of you but here goes. I thin education workd best when the decisions are made at a local level. I think President Obama and his Common Core approach to education is awful and one of the reasons why is because it comes from a federal level which I think is wrong. Well the same applies here, I do not see what role at all the state has in telling local school districts how to shape their calendar.
Go ahead fire away, just try to do it with facts and ideas instead of nonsense that is so oftern displayed in this forum.
Fact : Obama did not create Common Core
Fact: Common Core has voluntarily been adopted by states
CDEV, he didn’t say Obama created Common Core, he said it’s his approach, which it is. In order to get Race to the Top funds (an Obama initiative) you had to show how you were going to align to Common Core.
IIRC, Race to the Top was a GW Bush initiative. Obama merely reduced it to an absurdity by linking Common Core to it. But I never started a school year before Labor Day; and graduation was always in early June when I was in government schools in Harco. I don’t see the big deal against resetting. The only thing you get from starting in August is more days in ridiculous heat, which is a major concern still in too many HCPS classroom buildings.
Man does my spelling suffer when I use my fat thumbs on my cell phone while sitting at the red lights.
Texting while driving, huh? What school is your employment location?
This is the was it used to be. Why it ever changed I have no idea. Starting after Labor Day just makes sense. Families can get one more long weekend in on a vacation, and kids in 4-H and FFA can be at the State Fair and not be missing any class time. If the “teachers in service days” are eliminated, that tenured teachers don’t attend any way, and make school weeks actually 5 days there would not be any need for a longer school year.
I feel this would be great and give the kids a little more summer. I never went until after Labor Day when I attended Harford County schools many moons ago. It would also let those that participate in the State Fair a little more leeway with their 4-h projects. Maybe they could eliminate some of the in service day. What do these meetings really do?
This story has been updated with a statement from Superintendent Barbara Canavan.
Like many of the older generation, I remember when school started after Labor Day, and final exams were that first week of school. You had Thanksgiving and that Friday off; you had about two weeks for Christmas Break, and the Thursday before Easter off until the Monday after Easter. Now, in our politically correct times, you have to refer to them as ‘Winter Break’ and ‘Spring Break,’ or else you risk offending someone.
There are many reasons now why the school year is longer. First,it is now stipulated by contract that teachers must work between 5 – 10 days more than the 180 days for students, depending on which school district you are in. Secondly, more religious holidays have been added in – when I was in public school as a student, you knew who the religious students were and weren’t, teachers that cared would not schedule major assignments due or examinations on these days, and students were good about bringing in absentee notes. There were the occasional days off at the end of the marking period so that teachers could finalize and submit grades.
Honestly, the only way I could see starting school after Labor Day without running too far into June, is if the school systems would eliminate some of those Professional Development Days and cut down on the number of religious holidays built into the calendar. Sadly, I don’t see this happening
Like many of the older generation, I too remember when schools taught the basic parts of speech, how to multiply using facts one had to memorize, along with basic skills such as how to address a mailing envelope. But alas, those days are gone.
I wish they’d go to a year round school schedule with 1-2 weeks off between marking periods (which can be timed to more or less coincide with the traditional Christmas and spring breaks) and then 4-6 weeks off in the summer between school years. The major things that would need to be figured out are how to run summer school and every school would need functioning air conditioning.
Study after study after study talks about how much knowledge students forget over the 2.5 month break in the summer and how the first couple weeks (sometimes even the entire first month) of the school year are frequently used to reteach concepts that were taught the previous year (and forgotten by the average student.) This would help alleviate that problem, families would have more options of when to vacation, etc.
or better yet how about we just assign summer work every summer?
Wouldn’t make any difference for HarCo. We get out that Thursday for a jewish holiday anyway. Just keep it the way it is.
Blip, blap, flip, flap. Here’s a no brainer, just don’t send your kid to school until after labor day if it effects your vacation or other plans.
Don’t reply to me about a letter saying your child wont pass. I know it, you know it, they know it, it’s bullshit. With all the parental complaints that come in faster than ink cartridges can be replaced, political correctness, decreased student enrollment, and otherwise, the biggest dysfunction ever, they can’t afford to have “Repeat offenders” of the same grade anymore.
The one issue that hasn’t been addressed is “What’s good for students?”
The answer, or at lest the discussion, should guide the decision about when to start school.