School start dates getting earlier in some districts

If it seems like the first day of school is getting earlier each year, you might not be too far off.

It just depends on which district you live in.

An analysis of the first day of school for students found some have inched up the start date over the years, while others have maintained an end of August date.

In fact, only three districts in Western Pennsylvania are starting classes after Labor Day this year: Kiski Area, Avonworth and Baldwin-Whitehall.

How are dates set?

Allegheny Valley and McKeesport Area have the earliest first day of school, starting Aug. 19 — a full two weeks before Labor Day. They also were first last year with a start date of Aug. 21. As recently as 2011, Allegheny Valley welcomed students back after Labor Day.

“The district has started classes the third week in August for several years,” Allegheny Valley district spokeswoman Jan Zastawniak said. “The start date allows for professional development and open house days throughout the school year and enables the district to graduate students at the end of May.”

While Greensburg-Salem School District’s first day of school hasn’t inched up over the past few years, Superintendent Ken Bissell said the district is discussing options for starting the year a week earlier and ending a week later to build in more time for breaks, building-level work, cleaning, repairs, professional learning and administrative or reporting duties.

“We always discuss what is best for children,” Bissell said. “In the past, the Westmoreland County Fair schedule has played a role. This was to give time for the event. That event will continue to be part of the discussion. Still, we can also discuss how to include the event as an educational event for our children who participate as part of their passion, learning and potential future careers or hobbies.”

Bissell said the 2024-25 school year, which starts Aug. 26 for students, has not changed much from previous years.

“We want to examine how future calendars can better support our children, staff, and community in learning, growth opportunities and systemic efficiency,” he said.

Zastawniak said Allegheny Valley’s mid-August start date provides more instructional time before state assessment testing, which takes place in April and May. Additionally, some graduates take advantage of the early end date for early college admission or entering the military for training.

Breaks during the year have remained the same, Zastawniak said. The district’s last day of school is May 30, which falls in line with previous years.

When drafting the schedule, Allegheny Valley takes into account past calendars, holidays and feedback from staff and parents, Zastawniak said. She said testing schedules, activities and other events in the district, such as renovations, also are taken into consideration.

Such is the case at Kiski Area, where building renovations account for this year’s post-Labor Day start.

Kiski Area’s start date of Sept. 3 accounts for a renovation project at the district’s intermediate school, Superintendent Jason Lohr said.

“We are temporarily moving our (seventh and eighth grade) students to the high school for the ’24-’25 school year until the work is finished,” Lohr said. “We simply wanted to allow as much time as possible for moving, planning and preparation purposes. Everything is in place for an on-time start after Labor Day.”

Fox Chapel usually sets its first day for students during the last two weeks of August, said spokeswoman Bonnie Berzonski. This year’s start date is Aug. 22.

“The Fox Chapel Area School Board approves the school calendar annually to align with academic needs and scheduled holidays,” she said.

Penn-Trafford has started school on the Thursday before the first full week of school prior to Labor Day for at least 12 years, said Superintendent Matt Harris.

“We do that as it is a good start for the kids to ease back into the new school year,” Harris said. “Our calendar is very similar to the past 12 years as we also are done prior to Memorial Day.”

Why an earlier start?

There’s no nationwide trends that suggest districts are starting the school year a few days earlier, but there may be a few factors that lead officials to choose an earlier date, said Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University’s School of Public Policy.

Roza agrees schools may eye an earlier start to plan for more instructional days before state or college prep testing. Having students back earlier also may retain proficiency in subjects that otherwise would be lost from the “summer slide,” she said.

School calendars are a local decision, said Mackenzie Christ, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association. The PSBA does not track trends on start dates for the first day of school.

“School boards determine the calendars for their district on an individual basis,” she said. “Boards often draft a schedule early in the calendar year and distribute it to their community to elicit feedback before adopting an official district calendar at a public meeting. This process allows boards and other stakeholders to determine what is most appropriate for their students, families and communities.”

Roza tossed around another theory: With districts investing in air-conditioning units, they can accommodate students and staff on warmer days.

There also are different reasons for which day of the week districts decide to welcome students back. A mid-week start allows for teachers to set up classrooms in the days before, so they don’t have to go in before the last weekend for students and families. A Monday or Tuesday start naturally quickens when instructional time begins.

“That’s probably engaged by teachers unions and districts,” Roza said.

Districts also juggle scholastic sports schedules when setting the academic calendar, Roza said.

While start dates have fluctuated over the years, the year itself has largely remained the same, she said. That’s still the case despite a recent change in the state’s education laws that allow school districts to move away from a requirement that students attend classes for 180 days each school year.

“We’re not seeing a lot of added days on the calendar,” Roza said. “… It used to be 180 days a year, and that still holds.”

Maintaining dates

Districts shouldn’t drastically change the school calendar but should instead engage with parents and families to set a school calendar that reflects the community’s needs, Roza said. She gave an example of days off for the start of hunting season.

“People are accustomed to the year before,” she said.

Nationally, schools in southern states historically start in mid-August, Roza said. It’s more common for districts on the West Coast to start around or after Labor Day.

Historically, some states impacted by tourism and a summer workforce have set limits on the school calendar. Roza pointed to North Carolina, whose traditional public schools this year are prohibited from starting the school year sooner than the Monday closest to Aug. 26, which is Aug. 26 this year, and from ending the year after than the Friday closest to June 11.

Those dates are set largely because of the tourism industry’s concerns that starting earlier would impact their business.

Riverview School District’s start date has moved up over the past couple of years — students started Aug. 27 in 2019, Aug. 24 last year and Aug. 22 this year — but there’s “no reason” for the forward date, Superintendent Neil English said.

“It’s been the same week since I’ve been here as superintendent,” English said. “The week makes sense, as it usually results in the students being out in the first week of June.”

At Deer Lakes, officials consider state requirements, collective bargaining agreements with unions, professional development days and input from administration, staff and families when setting the school calendar, said spokesman Shawn Annarelli. Deer Lakes had a post-Labor Day start 10 years ago; its first day this year is Aug. 22.

“Formulating each school calendar is a thoughtful and collaborative process,” he said.