» School bill:

Districts around state ramp up fight

Two suburban Republican lawmakers are seeking co-sponsors for a bill that would repeal a law that bars school districts from starting the school year before Sept. 1.

Mike Richie, superintendent of the Northland Pines School District in Eagle River, is convinced there’s a way to boost academics at the beginning of the school year: start students at the end of August.

Classes could settle in by early September and older students could get more seat time before Advanced Placement exams in May. But the state denied Richie’s request to start classes on Aug. 28 instead of Sept. 5 this school year because of a longstanding law — backed by the tourism industry — that bars districts from starting before Sept. 1.

“This issue should not be a fight between education and tourism but rather what is best for our students across the state,” Richie said.

The school start date law has been challenged before, but districts statewide appear to be mounting a new and more coordinated effort to repeal it. Two suburban Republican lawmakers are seeking cosponsors for a bill that repeals the law. Board members across the state are passing resolutions and calling lawmakers to support it.

Milwaukee Public Schools — which has more flexibility around start dates than most districts — is setting a new tone by shifting all of its traditional high schools and middle schools to start in August this year. Superintendent Darienne Driver says the shift could lead to higher achievement.

But the end of August is precious to Wisconsin Dells and resorts that glean most of their income from families traveling with children through Labor Day weekend. Many businesses say they rely on student workers to close out the season.

Trisha Pugal, president of the Wisconsin Hotel & Lodg- ing Association and the Tourism Federation of Wisconsin, signaled her members would fight any bill aimed at repealing the law.

“It is important to our industry,” Pugal said. “Anyone in Wisconsin is familiar with the fact that July and August are the prime summer months in our lakes. The lakes have warmer water and the tourists are out in force.”

Under the current law, districts can apply for a waiver to start before Sept. 1, but the Department of Public Instruction may grant exceptions only for “extraordinary reasons.”

Rep. Jim Ott (R-Mequon) and Sen. Alberta Darling (RRiver Hills) have until Feb. 10 to secure co-sponsors for a bill that would allow school boards to determine when to start their schools. It would take effect in 2018-’19.

Ott has made a number of unsuccessful legislative attempts to repeal the law.

“I still pursue this because I know the superintendents in my district are interested in this,” he said.

The Wisconsin Association of School Boards’ members passed a resolution at the state convention last month to support such legislation. A number of business groups statewide have also signaled their support.

Dan Rossmiller, director of government relations for WASB, said the organization’s members want the flexibility to decide what works for their district.

“Local communities know what’s best for their own local school calendar, and they want that reflected in the law,” Rossmiller said.

In Brown Deer, Superintendent Deb Kerr said starting in August would allow additional instructional time for Advanced Placement students before the AP exams in May.

“We’re working really hard to close the achievement gap, but we need to focus on what kids need,” she said.

In tiny Pecatonica School

District, about an hour southwest of Madison, Superintendent Jill Underly said she’d like to start the school year to align with local charter schools that start in August.

Underly also said many Pecatonica families are already back by early August so their children can start fall sports practices.

There isn’t a one-sizefits-all for schools when it comes to when you can have the first and last day of school,” Underly said.

“It’s going to be different up here then it is up north or in Milwaukee,” she added. “Being able to control that is really important because then we can meet the needs of our students and meet the professional development needs of our teachers.”