Legislation under consideration in the Michigan House would allow school districts to start their years before Labor Day. Currently, districts need a waiver if they want to start classes in August. The House Education Committee heard from supporters and opponents Tuesday. Matt Schueller with the Michigan Association of School Administrators likes the idea.
“For some communities and districts, starting before Labor Day probably doesn’t make sense for a variety of reasons, but for many districts, it does,” Schueller said. “Whether it’s to combat learning loss from having a longer summer or because snow days or any other missed days that end up pushing the calendar into mid to late June.”
An executive with the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association says holiday weekends are crucial for small business owners who depend on the workers as well as sales. More discussion is expected before the committee votes on the bill.
