One school start day best for state
Few moments are as valuable as the time we spend with our families. Unfortunately, such memorable moments during summer vacation may become a thing of the past as school districts push for earlier school start dates.
Until 2015, families didn’t have to worry about the school year invading our summers. Texas law was clear. All public schools started on the fourth Monday in August. Families had expectations about how long their summers would last and planned accordingly. We sent our children to camps, enrolled them in vacation Bible school and took family trips to extraordinary places.
All of that changed when the Legislature created Districts of Innovation and allowed school districts to deviate from existing state standards. While I support the District of Innovation model to give schools more freedom, my expectation for innovation is higher than simply changing a date on the calendar. Now as more schools start earlier, summer is disappearing and so is quality time spent with our families.
There is no significant academic advantage for students in districts that start the school year earlier. However, for many school districts in Texas, the only change they’ve made as a District of Innovation is to start school earlier in August.
Losing summer days may not improve student performance, but it certainly costs young people valuable opportunities. High school students lose out on real world experiences, such as their first summer job and the responsibilities that come with earning a paycheck. Church camps and mission trips are canceled or shortened, diminishing the positive influence they have on our youth. Neighborhood pools must close early or operate with fewer lifeguards, and communities that rely on tourism suffer.
A March 2017 report from the Perryman Group estimates that shortening summer vacation by just one week costs the state $1 billion in lost spending, more than $500 million in gross product output and the elimination of more than 7,500 jobs. Beyond the economic numbers, the loss of summer takes its toll on students riding in buses with no air conditioning in 100-degree sweltering heat.
Fortunately, exceptional districts like Comal Independent School District understand this. Their students perform at a high level while starting the school year later in August and finishing before the end of May. Valuable opportunities remain available during summer, student engagement increases during the condensed school year, and the entire New Braunfels community benefits.
As the outgoing chair of the Texas Legislative Tourism Caucus, I hate to see small businesses lose income, cut workers and close early because of something as simple as the school start date.
As a mom, I worry about my daughter losing the invaluable lessons she has gained while making new friends at summer camp, spending time in a foreign country to learn a new language, taking up Irish dance and exploring our incredible state parks.
Our schools do a tremendous job of teaching our children, but a child’s education should not be limited to inside the classroom. It’s time to save our summer and encourage the spirit of family, community and adventure that has always made Texas stand out.
Let’s re-establish a uniform school start date that protects summer jobs, respects our values and brings families closer together.