Utility costs may delay school start
Tempe Union considers later classes in future

Colleen Sparks
The Arizona Republic
7/15/05

High utility costs to cool schools in early August and many absent students during the late summer months could drive the Tempe Union High School District to start classes later in future years.

The district governing board talked about the topic but did not make any decisions at its Wednesday night study session.

Classes start Aug. 8 for all schools in the Tempe Union district and that starting date won't change this year, but future years could be different. If school started later, those days would have to be made up sometime.

"August is one of the worst times of year for temperature and humidity," said Bob Anderson, district director of plant operations. The "most economical months" for the schools are November through March.

When cooling equipment breaks down during a school session it can be expensive, Anderson said. It costs about $250,000 to rent and also quickly replace a chiller, he said.

Anderson showed the governing board a photo of a chiller that got so hot its paint peeled off.

A district study also showed that many students are absent the first 20 days of school, presumably because they are still on vacation or moving from out of state where classes start later in the year. Funding depends on student enrollment.

Last school year, almost 700 students enrolled late, after the first day of school. The district estimated it lost almost $240,000 because of the late-arriving students.

Mountain Pointe High School parent Susi Fathauer said she would be opposed to schools starting later if it meant students would have to take final exams after the winter break when material is not as fresh in their minds.

"They have to weigh the cost of the extra utilities vs. academic achievement," Fathauer said. "I feel that the academic achievement is more important than the extra cost in utilities."