Balance Local Control

Early Start Date Included in Final Bill

By May 17, 2015 No Comments

MREA is still digging into the policy details of the final agreement reached by the Education Conference Committee early Sunday, but one thing is for sure: Districts can begin school on September 1, 2015 if they choose.

This comes late in the planning process for schools, but for those who want to start before Labor Day for the 2015-16 school year will have that authority if the legislature’s E-12 bill passes into law.

This is among the key issues MREA advocated for this session. The late Labor Day this year led many school districts to request flexibility from their legislators for the next school year’s start date. More than 40 school districts told MREA their school boards passed resolutions requesting the ability to start school before Labor Day in 2015.

The Senate’s omnibus education policy bill initially included the provision, granting a one-year allowance for districts to begin on Sept. 1 in 2015. The usual cast of characters, the Minnesota State Fair and resort industry, opposed the provision.