Michigan lawmakers weigh bill ditching post-Labor Day school start requirement

Lansing — Michigan lawmakers are debating a bill that would repeal mandates requiring public schools to start their school year after Labor Day.

Schools have routinely dodged the long-debated law since it took effect in 2006 by getting a waiver from the state superintendent to start early or to operate under a balanced calendar which allows for year-round school.

Currently, more than half of Michigan public schools receive a waiver, said Rep. Matt Koleszar, the Plymouth Democrat who introduced the bill. The requirement to apply for the waiver only presents another "hoop to jump through," Koleszar said during Tuesday's House Education Committee.

"I look at this as one less thing that we're asking our school districts to do ― a little less paperwork that they’ll have to fill out," said Koleszar.

John McNamara, vice president of government affairs for the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association, asked for changes to the bill to allow families time for a late summer vacation in northern Michigan, or for teenage workers to continue working during busy times at the end of summer. The state has estimated about 200,000 teenagers will be in the workforce this summer, McNamara said.

He recommended an amendment to the bill that would prohibit school on Mondays and Fridays in August and over Labor Day weekend.

"It is the Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Black Friday," McNamara said of Labor Day weekend. His position was supported by several tourism, recreation and convention associations.

Koleszar noted nothing in the bill would stop northern Michigan schools from scheduling their start dates after Labor Day weekend, and he expected as much to occur should the law pass.

The bill was supported by several public schools groups, including the Michigan Association of School Administrators, the Michigan Association of School Boards and the Michigan Education Association, the state's largest teachers union.

"Giving this back to districts to decide when to start and when to end the school year with the minimum number of days and hours, they can choose what makes the most sense,” said Don Wotruba, executive director of the Michigan Association of School Boards.

The bill, if passed, likely would not affect the coming 2023-24 school year because many school districts have already scheduled their start dates.

As of 2020, Michigan was one of five states that required a post-Labor Day start, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Bills to repeal the post-Labor Day start date have been introduced nearly each session in Lansing but have failed to garner needed support under the then-Republican majorities.

Currently, school districts are able to submit three-year blanket waiver requests to start classes ahead of Labor Day. For the 2023-25 period, 135 local districts and public charter schools and 47 intermediate districts received waivers to open before Labor Day.

eleblanc@detroitnews.com