Gov. Hogan: Post Labor Day school start move ‘overdue’

For years, the idea of Maryland public schools starting after Labor Day was tossed; however, it’s law as of Wednesday.

Governor Larry Hogan signed the executive order on the Ocean City Boardwalk on Wednesday alongside longtime advocate Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot.

The new start date would start in the 2017-2018 school year.

“This action puts the best interest of Marylanders first, especially the well being of our students,” says Governor Hogan.

Under the new mandate, the school year must end by June 15.

A 2013 economic impact study by the state’s Bureau of Revenue Estimates found that a post-Labor Day school start could generate an additional 74.3 million dollars in direct economic activity.

This would mean a boost for small businesses, which Comptroller Franchot calls “the backbone” of Maryland’s economy.

“Restaurants, shops, and hotels…so many of whom heavily depend on Maryland’s thriving tourism industry and the economic activity during the summer months,” he explains.

Through an informal survey of a handful of residents, all we spoke to agreed on a later start date.

“Instead of starting school then taking the Labor Day break and then going back afterwards, I just don’t see any sense in it,” says Kent Island resident Laurie Hall.

The Maryland State Education Association (“MSEA”) says they’re concerned about the new law.

In a statement sent to 47ABC, MSEA Director of Government Relations Sean Johnson says in part “Forcing all schools to begin after Labor Day won’t help students do better-and research shows that it can worsen summer brain drain among students from poor socioeconomic backgrounds.”

Governor Hogan is holding strong to this mandate, telling the media at a press conference Wednesday that a later start is long overdue.

“Previous governors supported it and nobody ever did it, so we’re finally going to make it happen,” he says.

Under this mandate, schools still need to complete 180 days. The order also does permit schools to apply for a waiver to be exempt from the later start date.

Worcester County Public Schools adopted a post Labor Day start in 2014.