Why do schools in warm weather areas start the earliest?

[pstokely]

Schools in Florida start the first week of August but schools in New York don't start before Labor Day.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

1. Since when has the south made sense?

:spank:

[BrotherBuzz]

2. Schools in the Southwest start early because of the Hispanic population

Lots of Mexican families travel to Mexico and visit relatives during the Christmas holidays. They will go regardless if the schools are open or not. Schools extend the Christmas break to accomodate them and not lose state money due to lost attendance.

[pitohui]

3. in the way back

back in the day when i was a little kidlet schools in the southeast often started in mid august because, if it snowed, then the roads and schools were shut down, so you had to count on a certain number of days being lost to snow

this would be like the western carolinas tho, not florida!

but i remember even as a kid being dimly aware that somewhere further north the kids didn't have to start school into after labor day, presumably because they were never allowed off for snow days or they would never attend school at all, besides their parents and bus drivers all knew how to drive in snow instead of having 400 car wrecks as soon as a snowflake hit the pavement

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

6. Here in NJ, we'd get 2 built in snow days.

If we went past that, then they'd add a day or something. However, I think that only happened once or twice. Unless it was a major snowfall that was going to get much worse during the school day, we'd usually get a delayed opening.

[Nicole]

4. In the olden days

school here started early because of harvest time. They also got out earlier for planting time.
I would imagine harvest & planting time is later in the north?

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. Because they're the dumbest, and in need of the most schooling

and obviously, even with the extra schooling, they still arne't learning very well.

[jobycom]

13. Right. I'll pit Bill Clinton (southern) against George W (Yankee prep

schooler) any day!

[RoyGBiv]

7. Combination of factors ...

Where I went to school, in a rural semi-Southern area, we started in late July, early August. When the school year was originally instituted, this allowed students to be available from late April/early May thru early July to help on the farm.

Allowing for "snow days" is a part of it too.

It made perfect sense at the time. Now, it's just inertia, and there's not really a logical reason to change it as far as I know.

[last_texas_dem]

8. This question has bothered me for most of my life

It's good to see I'm not the only one!

But yeah, I have no clue as to the answer, either. It has never made sense to me.

[Crazy Dave]

9. The teachers get so many "planning days" off and half days now

Add to that they also have off days slotted in case of hurricanes that they take off anyways even if one doesn't hit so therefore it stretches the minimum required school days out throughout the rest of the year.
This may not be 100% accurate but close. I just hear it on the news. All kids are grown up and gone. :)

[pstokely]

10. It's all about cramming for standardized tests

A strenched year means more standardized test cramming time

Disneyworld isn't happy about their underpaid teenage workforce being taken away.
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/05/05/State/Parents__industry_dri.shtml

[Crazy Dave]

11. You bring up a real good point

Ole Jeb got as flustered as his brother usually does when one time at a public event a high school student told him that for over three months they were taught nothing in their school. They were only being prepped for and memorizing things for the FCAT exams.
Believe it or not, me and you could probably take the state's medical exam and pass it without taking a day of medical school if we were trained for three months, everyday on how to pass and what to memorize for the exam.
I might be exaggerating a little but I'm sure you see mine and the young student's point.

[pstokely]

15. Is the FCAT multiple choice or written answer?

[Crazy Dave]

18. No idea

I only hear about the FCATs. No more kids at home :woohoo:

[jobycom]

12. Cause Yankees don't never do nothin' right!

(Someone had to parry the northern elitism, didn't they?) :rofl:

[underpants]

14. Va. schools can't start before Labor Day so teens can work for tourists

I am NOT kidding.

Schools can't open before Labor Day here (at least they couldn't, they might have changed that last year or so) because employers needed teens to work at Busch Gardens, Watercountry USA, King's Dominion, etc.

[TheMightyFavog]

17. Wisconsin did the same thing.

The tourism lobby pushed the legislature and Tommy Thompson to pass legislation that barred not only high schools from starting before Labor Day, but forbade the UW system from starting classes before Labor Day, as well. (However, the Tech School system is exempt for some weird reason.)

[NJ Democrats]

16. It all has to do with farming

SInce the season was earlier in the South, kids had to be out by spring to help on the farm. It has always stayed that way. For example my new school in NC starts on Aug. 23rd, or something like that. My school here in NJ starts September 6th. Most schools in the South start earlier.

[tigereye]

19. one of the reasons that I send my son to private school

is the crazy increased politicization of education. :(

[fishnfla]

20. Part weather/part FCAT

kids in the North need to make max. use of their summer weather. In FL they start early to get the FCAT training in before the test, and the kids get out earlier in the Spring than other places.

Its interesting to note, once the FCAT is over in the spring, the school year pretty much ends anyway....school becomes easier