BOISE, Idaho — Change, it usually gets people talking. Some hate it, some love it. The same goes for House Bill 364 in the Idaho legislature.
The bill proposes a change to the public-school calendar, pushing back the start of the public-school year to the first Tuesday after Labor Day. New proposed legislation would make that the law in Idaho.
House Bill 364 is sponsored by Rep. John Vander Woude of Nampa, and he loves the idea.
"I thought, you know I'm going to put this out for discussion and see if it goes anywhere," Vander Woude said. "It would be nice if everyone could plan their vacations and say okay, I know I have to be back after Labor Day."
So far, Vander Woude says the feedback he has had from parents is pretty good.
“Almost all the parents that I've talked to have liked the idea, they think it's great. If we have a uniform day, this is when school starts," he said.
Vander Woude does admit, not everyone likes it.
"I have heard from some legislators from Eastern Idaho that don't think it's a good idea because they have time off for the potato harvest," Vander Woude said.
Eric Exline, the chief communication officer with the West Ada School District, says the reality is some parents and students would like the change, others won't.
"Honestly, there are some parents that would go, 'Yay I like that.' There is probably an equal number who would say, 'I'd rather start earlier in August because I don't want them to get out in the middle of June,'" he said.
Exline explains though that the West Ada School District sees a larger problem with the idea.
"We have four schools that run on a different calendar, a modified calendar that starts in early August, gets out toward the end of June and those parents are all parents who chose that calendar," Exline said.
Exline says he worries that public schools on those modified or year-round schedules could face major changes.
"I think that they would just end up having to be on the same calendar as every other school that we have because I don't think that calendar works if you start after Labor Day," Exline said.
Critics of the bill say school districts should be able to set their own calendars, and Exline agrees.
"We are a reflection of our community and if our community is saying we should start after Labor Day, know what we are going to do? We are going to start after Labor Day," Exline said.
Rep. John Vander Woude’s bill is still awaiting a hearing in the House Education Committee. If passed, it would go into effect for the 2021 school year.
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