Bill Text: IL HR1058 | 2017-2018 | 100th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Urges the Illinois State Board of Education to study the impact of beginning a school term during various points throughout August.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2019-01-08 - Session Sine Die [HR1058 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2017-HR1058-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Illinois School Code provides that each school
board is required to annually prepare a calendar for each
school term that specifies both the opening and closing dates
of the term; and
WHEREAS, A school district's calendar must provide for a
minimum of at least 185 days that generally includes five
emergency days and four teacher institute days in order to
ensure 176 days of actual pupil attendance; and
WHEREAS, While the School Code does not govern when a
school term should begin or end, schools are increasingly
starting their school year in mid-August; and
WHEREAS, Traditionally, especially prior to the mid-1990s,
schools would begin their school term after Labor Day,
according to a 2015 CNN article, "Back to school: Why August is
the new September"; and
WHEREAS, Some states, including Michigan and Maryland,
have implemented prohibitions on school terms beginning before
Labor Day in an effort to boost their tourism industries; and
WHEREAS, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan recently signed an

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executive order prohibiting schools from commencing their
school term prior to Labor Day unless the school district has
received a waiver; and
WHEREAS, Research shows that the date upon which a school
term begins does not necessarily impact a student's academic
success; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
urge the Illinois State Board of Education to study the impact
of beginning a school term during various points throughout
August as compared to after Labor Day; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education submit a report
to the General Assembly by December 31, 2018 including the
following information and recommendations:
(1) A summary of current school term start dates in
school districts throughout Illinois;
(2) Laws in other states that govern when a school term
may commence; and
(3) The effects that beginning a school term at various
points in August, as compared to after Labor Day, would

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have on school district budgets, administrators, teachers,
and students; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
delivered to State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Smith.