Save summers for students to benefit everyone

By Shirley Phillips

-----

I have watched with amazement some of the opinions and editorials printed about the tourism industry in response to efforts by us and several other groups to enforce the state's school start date law. I only wish some of those folks had done their homework to determine what effect this proposal, being debated in the Iowa Legislature, has on their pocket book.

The existing law says that Iowa schools need to start no sooner than Sept. 1. However, the Department of Education grants waivers to most school districts with no reason required. We are asking that Iowa enforce current law, and some have even suggested moving the earliest start date to the fourth Monday of August.

The education lobby has accused us of being anti-education. Yet, we have asked for years for proof that starting school earlier is better for students. No such proof exists. In fact, some neighboring states that start after Labor Day are now ahead of Iowa in student performance. Ask yourself: Is your child's education better as a result of starting the school year earlier? As a parent, do you really have the opportunity to provide input to your school board?

Opponents have argued that this law would cause the school year to end in June. In the 2009-10 school year, the last Monday of August was the 24th; 141 school districts started on or after Aug 24, and 84 percent of them finished in May. Of the 22 districts that finished in June, 17 of those finished by June 3.

Opponents will tell you that community colleges and sports need to be taken into consideration, yet we are told that the calendars for community colleges and sports adjust based on the student calendars.

This bill does not affect year-round schools. It does not impede on school districts' ability to have in-service days whenever they want. It does not alter teacher pay or hours.

This bill does one thing: It ensures that schools in Iowa do not start before the fourth Monday of August. It stops Iowa's school districts from creeping closer and closer to July.

Working in economic development, we can tell you that our businesses and industries cry for people who are capable and willing to work. For years, we have watched many states with a school start date after Labor Day and they have higher student achievement scores than we do. We also realize that there is extra money in those states for education because businesses are “allowed” to be “open for business” for two or three additional weeks. This benefits all taxpayers by providing more needed revenue to our state budget to financially support schools.

Smaller communities recognize the critical impact as well as our destination markets like Okoboji. Our motels and campgrounds close when school starts. Some of our seasonal businesses depend on teenage labor and when those teens go back to school, they are forced to close their doors - putting a continual burden on taxpayers to sustain community pools and other attractions because they will never be self-sustaining if only open fewer than 80 days a year.

Let's give our summers back to our students and their families. Let's allow our businesses to stay “open for business” so they can make a living and invest in their employees and communities.

Shirley Phillips of Sac City is president, Travel Federation of Iowa, and a former school board member. Comments: shirley@saccountyiowa.com