Why do most schools start before Labor Day? Several reasons – School News Network

Multiple districts – A question that many are asking most as the 2024-25 school year begins: If the state requires schools to start after Labor Day, why do so many start before and so early?

It is true that in 2005, the Michigan Legislature passed a law requiring that classes not begin until after Labor Day. The law, signed by then-Governor Jennifer Granholm and signed into law in 2006, was intended to support tourism in the state.

But there are exceptions within the law. Many school districts and intermediate districts apply for a waiver to start earlier if they have a middle school college program, such as Kent ISD’s Launch U, said Sue Gardner, Kent ISD’s assistant superintendent of career and talent development.

“We have an exceptional middle school program that continues to grow and bring many benefits to our districts,” Gardner said.

Several school districts also offer middle school college programs, including Cedar Springs, Kentwood, Grand Rapids, Kenowa Hills and Wyoming. In the 2022-23 school year, 684 students were enrolled in these programs. Dual enrollment programs in local districts also fall under the exception.

Because of Launch U, Kent ISD applied for a three-year waiver to begin school after Labor Day in 2022 for its entire catchment area, which would cover all public and private schools. The waiver was approved by the Michigan Department of Education and expires at the end of the 2025-26 school year.

The exemption allows Kent ISD to align the program with the launch date of Grand Rapids Community College, which partners with Kent ISD on Launch U. This school year, GRCC launched on August 22.

Because Launch U begins in 10th grade, schools must ensure that transportation is available to participants and that students have the opportunity to attend an orientation session. This would not be possible if schools began after Labor Day, Kent ISD officials say.

Kent ISD must also demonstrate that it offers a summer school program, delivered through MySchool@Kent, where students have the opportunity to make up credits and accelerate the program.

Many reasons for an early start

A middle college program or dual enrollment are not the only reasons a school district might seek to start school before Labor Day.

In Cedar Springs, construction began on August 21. Superintendent Scott Smith said there was consensus in the district that it made more sense to start sooner rather than later.

Many factors contributed to the decision, he said, noting that activities such as fall sports and marching bands were already in full swing by the end of August.

“All of these students are already back and busy, so it seems a little illogical to have them sit around and wait for school to start,” Smith said.

Since the school learning time must comprise 1,098 hours, there are also academic reasons for starting school early.

“By starting before Labor Day, we will have more time in June to provide an extended learning window for high school students who need to catch up on credits,” Smith said. It will also allow time to complete summer school programs for younger grades and to spend all of July on family vacations.

Starting the school year earlier also gives students and teachers the opportunity to spend as much class time as possible before the start of standardized tests and assessments.

“From an academic perspective and in terms of student engagement, it just makes more sense,” Smith said.

Not all schools start early

Some schools do not take advantage of the early start times permitted. In some schools, classes have started later in recent years, mainly due to construction work.

This was the case at Kenowa Hills Public Schools, the only public school in the region that begins after Labor Day this school year.

Kenowa Hills Superintendent Jerry Hopkins said extensive ongoing construction projects at Kenowa Hills Middle School led to the district’s decision to postpone the start date for the 2024-25 season until after Labor Day.

Hopkins said contractors needed more time to complete the new kitchen and cafeteria areas without anyone in the building, and because those areas affect all middle school students, the decision was made not to begin work until after Labor Day. He said the delayed start allows all of the district’s buildings to remain in the same school year.

A look at the MDE’s list of approved waivers shows that only six of Michigan’s 83 counties do not have a school with a post-Labor Day waiver. Of the state’s 57 middle school districts, 44 have such a waiver.

So if so many school districts are seeking an exemption, why does the state still have a law requiring schools to start after Labor Day?

There have been efforts to amend the law, most recently in 2023 by Representative Matt Klesazar, Democrat of Plymouth. Although it was introduced in the House Education Committee, it was never brought to a vote in the House. The issue has not been widely discussed since.

Because Kent ISD is only in the second year of its three-year waiver, Kent ISD officials said there has not been any discussion about whether Kent ISD will apply for another waiver. However, they expect the Kent County Board of Education will support a renewed application.

Reporters Alexis Stark and Riley Kelly contributed to this story.

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