We support the current Texas law that provides for a statewide date for the start of the school year -- on the 4th Monday in August. All public schools in Texas begin the year on that date. Texans don't want school to start earlier - and we agree.

For many years, there was a widespread tradition in Texas to start school after Labor Day, the traditional end to the summer vacation season. In more recent years, some school districts adopted a much earlier start date in August, before the current statewide date was adopted in 2007.

Why do we support the current law and oppose an earlier start date?

Because the current law:

Preserves Family Values
An earlier start date would steal from summer vacation time and reduce the time that families have to spend together. Preserving more opportunities for family activities without school obligations and distractions will encourage the development of stronger family bonds - and that means more children who grow up to become productive and well-functioning adults.

Helps Teachers
Starting school on the 4th Monday in August helps teachers add up to 4 percent to their annual income by being able to complete two full summer sessions of college or university courses.

Saves the State Money
Texas schools and communities save over $1 billion per year by starting on the 4th Monday in August as mandated by current law.

Saves Families Money
Families can save $43 million in childcare with a condensed school calendar. Also, migrant families would no longer have to choose between vital agricultural income and getting their children to school at an earlier date.

Helps Community Groups that Serve Families
Community organizations such as religious groups, sports and recreational clubs, municipal parks, summer camps, social service organizations and many others serve families from numerous nearby school districts. The success of their vital summer programs depends on a uniform start date for schools across various districts - and the current statewide start date gives these groups time to complete their programs.

Reflects the Voice of Texans
Three polls conducted in 2005 show that between 60% and 67% of Texans support a statewide start date after August. Ideally, Texas would start school after Labor Day, but the 4th Monday in August - the current law - comes close to this idea and is to be preferred over misguided attempts to start school earlier in August.

Improves Education and Learning
The scientifically proven spacing effect demonstrates that the learning capacity of students is improved and retention increases when they have a review after an instructional break. In fact, all of the states ranked in the top ten academically have a majority of their school districts starting school in early September and taking exams after the winter break. Any effort to start school in Texas earlier than the 4th Monday in August would only move us further from the best practices, as reflected by the experience of the states that are the nation's leaders in education.

Improves Attendance and Dropout Rates
More students attend the first week of class when the school start date is later. Migrant students, who are growing in number and account for a large part of Texas' dropout rate, are more likely to complete high school in a traditional school year.

Provides Flexibility for Calendars with Breaks Parents Want
Keeping the current start date means that school districts can choose to provide up to a week for Thanksgiving Break, two weeks for Christmas Break, and a week for Spring Break, and can still have time to observe federal holidays.