HR0244 EnrolledLRB101 11802 MST 58599 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION 244

  
2    WHEREAS, The Illinois School Code provides that each school

3board is required to annually prepare a calendar for each

4school term that specifies both the opening and closing dates

5of the term; and
 
6    WHEREAS, A school district's calendar must provide for a

7minimum of at least 185 days that generally includes five

8emergency days and four teacher institute days in order to

9ensure 176 days of actual pupil attendance; and
 
10    WHEREAS, While the School Code does not govern when a

11school term should begin or end, schools are increasingly
  
12starting their school year in mid-August; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Traditionally, especially prior to the mid-1990s,

14schools would begin their school term after Labor Day,

15according to a 2015 CNN article, "Back to school: Why August is

16the new September"; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Some states, including Michigan and Maryland,

18have implemented prohibitions on school terms beginning before

19Labor Day in an effort to boost their tourism industries; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan recently signed an 
21executive order prohibiting schools from commencing their

 
 
HR0244 Enrolled- 2 -LRB101 11802 MST 58599 r

1school term prior to Labor Day unless the school district has

2received a waiver; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Research shows that the date upon which a school

4term begins does not necessarily impact a student's academic

5success; therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE

7HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that

8we urge the Illinois State Board of Education to study the

9impact of beginning a school term during various points

10throughout August as compared to after Labor Day; and be it

11further
 
12    RESOLVED, That the State Board of Education submit a report

13to the General Assembly by December 31, 2019 including the

14following information:
15        (1) A summary of current school term start dates in

16    school districts throughout Illinois; and
17        (2) Laws in other states that govern when a school term

18    may commence; and
be it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
20delivered to the State Superintendent of Education.