JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Officials in one of Missouri’s largest school districts are grumbling as they work to comply with a new state law that requires them to wait until late August to begin classes.
The Springfield News-Leader reports that the proposed 2020-21 calendar for 25,000-student school district in Springfield includes a shorter winter break.
Superintendent John Jungmann says state-level education associations opposed the legislative change, which forced the district to push the start date to Aug. 24. Without the change, students likely would have headed back to class on Aug. 12 or 13.
Jason Anderson, who oversees the annual calendar committee, says the legislation has led to “a loss of local control.”
The tourism industry pushed for the change, saying families were ending summer vacations in early August, which cut into profits.
