MYTH VS. FACT: Post-Labor Day School Start Date

Governor Hogan’s Common Sense Executive Order To Start School After Labor Day Has A History Of Strong Bipartisan Support

MYTH:

• Only A Small Minority Of People Have Asked For A Post-Labor Day School Start Date.

FACT:

• Parents And Teachers Join The Overwhelming Majority Of Marylanders - Nearly 70% - In Support Of Governor Hogan’s Executive Order To Start School After Labor Day.“ (Jack Moore, “Poll: 67 Percent Support Hogan’s Post-Labor Day Back-To-School Order,” WTOP, 9/26/16)

MYTH:

• Governor Hogan And Comptroller Peter Franchot Were The Only Elected Officials In Maryland Who Pushed For Starting School After Labor Day.

FACT:

• Governor O’Malley Was A Strong Supporter Of Starting School After Labor Day; Stated That He Was “Tempted” To Sign An Executive Order To Start School After Labor Day. COMPTROLLER FRANCHOT: “So I’d respectfully ask each of you if you would like to join the movement and let summer be summer by signing our petition.” GOVERNOR O’MALLEY: “Sign me up… I’ll sign your petition… I’ll sign your petition… I’ll sign. I’m for that. In fact, I’ve been tempted to do an executive order extending summer by another month.” (Board Of Public Works, 9/3/14)  
• Senate President Miller Stated That He Supports School Beginning After Labor Day. “The topics covered during the legislative session vary widely, but Miller make sure to keep up with legislation that affects education in Maryland. He supports a bill that would move the beginning of the school year to after Labor Day, which has been met with mixed reception.” (Sarah Miller, “Views On The Upcoming Legislative Session,” The Calvert Gazette, 12/26/13)
• In Previous Years A Bipartisan Group Of More Than 57 Republican And Democratic Legislators Have Sponsored Legislation To Start School After Labor Day. (“Senate Bill 767,” Maryland General Assembly, 3/3/16; “Senate Bill 455,”Maryland General Assembly, 11/20/15; “House Bill 1349,” Maryland General Assembly, 3/2/16; “House Bill 389,” Maryland General Assembly, 11/20/15; “House Bill 1069,” Maryland General Assembly, 10/2/15)  

MYTH:

• Governor Hogan Acted Unilaterally By Issuing An Executive Order To Start School After Labor Day.

FACT:

• This Has Been Studied Extensively And Recommended By Bipartisan Leaders; The Democrat-Controlled Legislature And The Previous Governor Enacted Legislation To Form A Task Force To Review A Post-Labor Day Start Date For Maryland Public Schools. The Bipartisan Task Force Consisting Of Educators, Parents, And Experts Voted 12-3, Overwhelmingly In Favor Of A Post-Labor Day Start Date. “While the Task Force considered the sub-recommendations of the workgroups; the Task Force accepted and passed only one recommendation. On May 19, 2014, a motion was made to recommend to the Governor, a post-Labor Day start date for Maryland Public Schools. The motion was carried by a vote of 12 votes for the recommendation and 3 votes against the recommendation.” (“Task Force To Study A Post-Labor Day Start Date For Maryland Public Schools,” June 2014)
• The Legislation To Commission The Task Force Passed With Near Unanimous Support In Both The Senate By A Vote Of 46-1 And The House Of Delegates By A Vote Of 124-6. (“Senate Bill 963,” Maryland General Assembly, 10/24/17)   

MYTH:

• A Post-Labor Day Start Date Would Mean That Students Will Spend Less Time In The Classroom.

FACT:

• The Executive Order Makes No Change To The Number Of School Days Required. Under The Executive Order Students Will Attend Class For 180 Days; Prior To The Executive Order Students Attended Class For 180 Days. State law requires 180 school days each year: “Except as provided in subsections (b), (e), and (f) of this section, each public school under the jurisdiction of a  county board: Shall be open for pupil attendance for at least 180 actual school days and a minimum of 1,080 school hours during a 10-month period in each school year…” (“Code Of Maryland: Education Article,” Maryland General Assembly, 2/1/19)   

MYTH:

• Governor Hogan’s Executive Order Ignores Critical Issues Faced By Schools And The Potential Negative Instructional Impact On Students.

FACT:

• A Non-Partisan Task Force Of Teachers, Administrators, School Board Members, PTA Members, And Legislators, Commissioned By The Previous Administration, Determined That Students’ Education Would Not Be Impacted By Starting School After Labor Day. “Determined that there was no compelling evidence that showed there was any impact on education starting post-Labor Day... there was no quantifiable evidence that a post-Labor Day start is harmful to local schools systems.” (“Task Force To Study A Post-Labor Day Start Date For Maryland Public Schools,” June 2014)

MYTH:

• Starting School After Labor Day Would Put Maryland Students At A Disadvantage Compared To Students Across The Nation On Standardized Tests.

FACT:

• An Extensive Study By Virginia Commonwealth University Found That Standardized Test Results For Students Who Begin School After Labor Day Do Not Suffer. “The study examined whether students who started school before Labor Day performed better on standardized tests than those who returned to school after the holiday. Commenting on the results, McMillan said, 'the preponderance of evidence suggests that there is no relationship between school division start date (before or after Labor Day) and student achievement.'” (Greg Ellison, “Extending Kids’ Summer Still Being Debated,” Ocean City Today, 8/25/16; James McMillan, “SOL Test Scores And School Calendar/Teaching Days For Virginia School Divisions Receiving Waivers To Begin The School Year Prior To Labor Day,” Virginia Commonwealth University, 1/25/15)

MYTH:

• Governor Hogan’s Executive Order Takes Away Flexibility From School Systems To Construct Their Academic Calendars.

FACT:

• The Executive Order Grants Local Boards Of Education Full Ability To Set Their Own Academic Calendar; It Only Stipulates That Academic Calendars Begin After Labor Day And End On June 15th. "That all Kindergarten through 12th grade public schools in the State of Maryland (Public Schools). Through local Boards of Education, shall open for all pupil attendance no earlier than the Tuesday immediately following the nationally-observed Labor Day holiday. That classes shall conclude and the school year for every Public School in Maryland shall adjourn no later than June 15… That each local Board of Education shall refrain full responsibility for establishing its annual academic calendar and, therefore, shall have the necessary latitude to determine how best to comply with the provisions of this Executive Order along with State and local laws.” (“Executive Order 01.01.2016.09,” Office Of The Governor, 8/31/16)

MYTH:

• Inclement Weather May Make It Difficult For Students To Receive Their Required 180 Instructional Days In The Classroom, While Adhering To The Guidelines Of Governor Hogan’s Executive Order Which Requires June 15th To Be The Last Day Of School.

FACT:

• Governor Hogan Enacted Legislation To Allow Local County Boards Of Education To Increase The Length Of The School Year For Five School Days, Without The Approval For The State Board Of Education, In Response To Inclement Weather. “A county board may extend the length of the school year for up to 5 school days beyond June 15 without approval from the State Board.” (“Senate Bill 727,” Maryland General Assembly, 4/10/18)