Missouri forces schools to start the year later. Educators, some parents aren't happy

[pstokely]

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article232595827.html

"“School districts should be setting the school calendar, not legislators,” said Allan Markley, superintendent in Raytown, which starts Aug. 14 this year. “But it is what it is.”

Before the change, the state asked districts to start no earlier than 10 days before the first Monday of September, but it allowed them to deviate from that date as they wished. Now, the 14-day law allows no exceptions.

“We did not want a state law mandating a start date,” said Otto Fajen, legislative director for the Missouri National Education Association, a union representing teachers. “Different parts of the state have different needs. And schools should start based on the educational needs of the students in the school district.”

He predicts “a one size fits all” policy may pose some scheduling complications for districts, such as trying to sync up high school schedules with college schedules for students taking dual credit courses. Some districts may have to redo their entire school calendar."