Pros and cons of starting the school year earlier
by BENJAMIN GEE & KEITH OSHIMA
Over the past five years, the first day of school has been pushed back, progressively setting the start of the school year in August, as many other school districts have already done.
School schedules today are still influenced by the past needs of the community, according to cnn.com [Back to school: Why August is the new September, Daphne Sashin, Money]. While city schools could instruct students year-long, rural areas took breaks during the summer, allowing children to help their families with planting and harvesting crops. For the Los Angeles school district (second largest in the nation), 600,000 students started school Aug. 14, according to The Wall Street Journal. Alhambra Unified School District started Aug. 14, while MUSD started Aug. 24.
Beginning the school year earlier will have positive and negative effects on students, schools and local businesses.
SOURCES: wsj.com, edsource.org, cnn.com, forbes.com, latimes.com.
Compiled by KEITH OSHIMA