NY State Thinking About Allowing a More Flexible School Year

This could means that there is a possibility the school year could begin before Labor Day.

I grew up in Southern California so school started the week after Labor Day and ended the first week of June every year and there really wasn't much variation of those dates. However we live in the North East where weather has a tendency to interrupt our regularly scheduled lives from time to time so I am not sure why a more flexible school  schedule isn't a thing yet in New York State.

According to the TU currently in New York State it is mandated that public schools open no sooner than September 1st and remain open for 180 days a year. A full day for elementary level students is counted as at least five hours of instruction and five and a half hours of instruction for middle and high school level students. The state is considering allowing schools to start their year earlier than September 1st and be counted in hours not days.

The way the mandate stands now half days for things like parent teacher conferences don't count as time instructed at all and if we get any unexpected winter storms well, all plans just kind of get thrown out the window.

I have noticed that there are many schools across the country that have begun to start their school year earlier and earlier and while I don't think we should be taking away from the kids summer vacation I feel like starting a few days earlier and counting half days in preparation for adverse weather and snow days seems like a smart game plan.

What do you think? Would you like for your kids to head back to school earlier?