Lawmakers to consider later school start dates

State lawmakers are preparing to tackle the question of when the school year should begin in Indiana.

The Interim
Study Commission on Education will take up the issue at its Wednesday meeting.

Parents with a group called Save
Indiana Summers contend that pushing back the school start date would boost tax revenue from tourism and save money, in part
because it’s expensive to cool schools during the hottest days of August.

They’re pushing for a law barring classes
from starting before the last week in August.

But efforts to push back the start of school are opposed by those
who say local districts should determine when school starts. A bill that would have moved the start date back failed to pass
last legislative session.