• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Education / School start date bill clears legislative committee

School start date bill clears legislative committee

January 29, 2015 By Dar Danielson

state-capitolA bill to let school districts decide when to start classes in the fall cleared a three-member panel at the statehouse today. There were arguments on both sides, and the bill’s future is uncertain.

Ross Schoofs at Adventureland Park in Altoona says they lose money when school starts earlier in August. “Comparing August 15th when schools were back in session to a week earlier when they were not on August 8th, Adventureland’s attendance dropped 58 percent,” Schoofs says.

Senator Todd Bowman, a Democrat from Maquoketa, says it is evident the schools want to start earlier by the number of waiver requests. “Three-hundred-36 out of 338 school boards are asking for this,” Bowman says. Wayne Rose from the Newton KOA says business drops off even before school starts.

“Two weeks prior you can see people not coming to the campgrounds because of the mere fact that they’re trying to get their kids ready to go to school, shopping for clothes, that sort of thing,” Rose testified. But Emily Piper with the Iowa Association of School Boards, says changing the start date won’t help. “I think it’s a myth to assume the summer will be longer if we start in September,” Piper says.

Currently, state law requires schools to start no earlier than the week in which September 1st, but the Iowa Department of Education recently created criteria that makes schools show it would hurt the education of students if the didn’t approve an early start waiver.

Schools also argue that students take Advanced Placement tests in the spring, so starting school earlier in the fall gives them more time to prepare. A spokesman for the Iowa Lodging Association quotes a survey showing most Iowans favor a later start date for schools.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Education, News, Politics / Govt, Recreation / Entertainment Tagged With: Democratic Party, Legislature

Featured Stories

Exhibit features lesser known works of Grant Wood

Testing finds 21 new CWD cases in deer

It may become a crime in Iowa to use fake urine in workplace drug tests

February trending 18 degrees below average temperature

Iowa House Education Committee votes to end tenure at UI, ISU, UNI

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Drake falls to No. 20 Loyola in MVC Championship

Confusion at MVC Tournament as UNI exits prior to quarterfinal round game

Iowa State looks to avoid winless Big-12 season

New look and new format at girls’ state basketball

Youngstown State takes action against assistant football coach

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC