Public school students would start school on Aug. 28 for the next school year, if the school calendar approved Monday by the Montgomery County Board of Education receives a waiver from state education regulators. The last day of school would be June 14, 2018.
The board voted unanimously to accept a calendar that mimics the county’s previous calendars, rather than adopt a calendar that follows Gov. Larry Hogan’s executive order, which calls for lengthening the summer across all school systems to give families more time and to boost the state’s economy.
Superintendent Jack Smith said Monday the Maryland State Department of Education is expected to release emergency regulations Oct. 25 that will describe how school districts can receive a waiver from the Hogan directive.
On Aug. 31, Hogan ordered public school systems to start after Labor Day—Sept. 4, 2017—and complete the state-mandated 180-day schedule by June 15.
The governor’s office has touted a 2013 study by Maryland’s Bureau of Revenue Estimates that found that a post-Labor Day school start could generate $74.3 million more in direct economic activity, including $3.7 million in new wages and $7.7 million in state and local tax revenue.
County school board members have said they believe the school calendar should be decided locally.
The Montgomery County Public Schools calendar would follow the county’s custom of lasting 184 days, instead of the state minimum of 180 days. The county adds the extra days so the district can close for weather or other emergency conditions and still meet the minimum number of required instructional days. The 2017-2018 school year presents a handful of advantages for calendar drafters, staff said. The school year has no election day nor an inauguration day, two days county schools typically close. One Jewish holiday, Rosh Hashanah, falls on a weekday. Yom Kippur, as well as Muslim holidays Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr, fall on weekends or outside the school year.
School system staff was directed to pursue a waiver from the governor’s order once the regulations have been released. If the waiver is denied, MCPS has created alternative calendars: A 183-day schedule that follows the Hogan order and a 184-day schedule that starts after Labor Day, but ends June 20.
School board member Patricia O’Neill said the school system wants to reduce the loss of learning during an extensive summer period.
By its own policy, the school board tries to have the calendar completed by December, she said. So if the state board denies a waiver, the board has time to design an appropriate calendar.
