A uniform school calendar not a bad idea

By Shelley F. Smith
Sand Mountain Reporter
March 09, 2004

I remember the good ol’ days of school — when we started school on a Thursday and were out for Labor Day the following Monday.

I remember a leisurely summer that seemed to last so long, we became bored and were ready to start school when the appropriate time arrived.

Now, the first day of school seems to be drifting backwards more and more each year.

One of the best things about school for me was getting that long summer vacation. Now, kids seem to have very little time off during the summer. Of course, they also seem to have more breaks during the year than I remember.

I write all of this to lead into my opinion on a bill that is on the House floor as I write this column. It’s a bill to limit the start day of school to no sooner than Aug. 15 and no later than Aug. 31.

Those opposing the bill, most notably the Alabama Association of School Boards, say the decision on when to start school should remain in the hands of the local school boards.

I can understand school boards wanting to maintain control over decisions such as the school start date; however, it’s like most other situations. When things start getting out of hand —like, for instance, the Madison County schools setting a start date of July 29 — that’s usually when someone needs to step in and regulate matters.

Primary supporters of the bill include tourism lobbyists and the Alabama Education Association. From a tourism standpoint, other southern states which had a school start date in early August reported a loss in tourism dollars. Resorts and summer camps who depend on students working during the summer are also impacted when students have to quit their jobs early in the season in order to go back to school.

Another point many of us in this area can appreciate is the increase in air conditioning costs. When students report to school in early August or before, the weather usually doesn’t cooperate with cooler temperatures and fall-like weather. Mother Nature will more than likely produce some sweltering temperatures about that time of year.

A third aspect which should make passing this bill more appealing is the time it gives the state department in filing necessary testing reports. In order to comply with the infamous No Child Left Behind Act, federal school funding is based on student and teacher testing and the reporting of those tests to parents, teachers and administrators. Without adequate time to do this, the state stands to lose millions of dollars in federal funding.

At a time when schools have had to tighten their belts, I would think no one would want to risk losing any amount of funding,especially if it reaches into the millions.

To me, there should be no debate concerning this bill. Holding systems to start their school year in mid- to late August sounds like a great idea, and I hope lawmakers push this bill on through.

If you feel the same, I urge you to take advantage of the information we provide on this page. The list of representatives includes information on how to get in touch with them. Make your opinions known, and you just might have an effect on the outcome.