Updated 11:42 a.m., March 29: The Maryland General Assembly on Friday overturned Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto of a bill that will return control to local school boards to determine whether classes should start before Labor Day.
Montgomery schools likely won’t adjust the 2019-2020 school calendar after the Maryland General Assembly passed a bill allowing school boards to start classes before Labor Day.
Lawmakers this week overturned a 2016 executive order from Gov. Larry Hogan mandating all public schools start after the September holiday, a move intended to bolster the economy of small businesses.
Local school boards have criticized the order, saying it places an unnecessary burden on school districts to meet state mandates that students attend 180 days of classes without the school year extending past June 15.
For years, Montgomery’s school system, the largest in Maryland, opened in late August.
Because Montgomery’s school board already finalized its calendar for the next academic year, members said Tuesday they don’t intend to make any tweaks but are looking forward to the flexibility it will bring when they begin looking at the 2020-2021 calendar.
“We know people have already begun their long-term planning based on the calendar that was already adopted, so we really have to think about that in terms of next year,” said Derek Turner, a school system spokesman. “But we’ve always thought we’re the closest with our local families and understand the needs of the people we serve best.”
Senate Bill 128 received enough votes to override a veto from Hogan, if he chooses to do so. Hogan has called the bill “politics at its worst” that “manipulates the will” of Marylanders.
In various statements since the bill was introduced, Hogan has pointed to a commission convened in 2016 that recommended the post-Labor Day start. He says 70 percent of people in the state support his executive order.
“Now this popular idea is being threatened by out-of-touch politicians and special interests,” Hogan said in a statement.
A poll published earlier this month found 56 percent of Marylanders supported opening schools after Labor Day and 40 percent said local school boards should have autonomy over their calendars.
Turner said school leaders believe the order limits the amount of professional development time that can be integrated into the school calendar and can cause issues for low-income families who can’t afford childcare during the summer.
At-large board member Karla Silvestre added starting the school year earlier would give students more time to prepare for AP exams.
“I think this whole discussion really needs to be about what’s best for teaching, learning and students, and I think it’s gotten away from that,” Silvestre said. “There are a lot of people voicing a lot of different opinions, but do they have skin in the game? Are their kids the ones going to the schools or are they doing the teaching? If not, then it makes sense to let the people you elected to make these decisions, make the decisions.”
Additionally, the legislation shifts control of the calendar away from the state and to local government, a key peg of the school board’s legislative platform, District 2 board member Rebecca Smondrowski said.
“Local boards of education are best suited to determine what’s in the best interest of their students, staff and community,” she said. “Each district has different needs and addresses school issues in different ways, so local control is critical to maintain. Accountability for school systems appropriately falls to the local boards of education, so taking away their ability to make local decisions is counterproductive.”
Caitlynn Peetz can be reached at caitlynn.peetz@moco360.media
