Senator Trying Again To Save Hoosier Kids' Summer Breaks From Early School Start

Area schools now begin first of August

 Indiana lawmakers are once again gearing up to debate about when summer break should end and the school year should begin for Hoosier children.

State Senator Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) is once again trying to get state lawmakers to require Indiana schools to start the year in late August. 

She has filed Senate Bill 128, which would mandate that all public and accredited private schools in the state not hold their first student day until at least the last Monday in August. If passed, the law would take effect for the 2020-2021 school year.

Right now, local schools control their own calendar, and some schools start as early as July. 

Madison began this school year on August 14th, while Southwestern started on August 3rd and Switzerland Co. began on August 9th and next year they will begin on August 7th. Most other southeastern Indiana districts wait until the first full week of August.

Leising says she expects plenty of push back to her proposal; she says local schools are very protective of their local control. A similar proposal she filed during the 2018 session never received a vote.