SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Senate Bill 204 would require Delaware schools to start after Labor Day each year. Senator Gerald Hocker, the Senate Minority Leader, is a businessman himself. He believes this would benefit business if it becomes law.
SB 204 was introduced in January. Senator Hocker introduced the school start date bill three General Assemblies ago after a task force recommended making all students start after Labor Day. He believes it would be a big help to Delaware business owners, who struggle finding help after younger employees go back to school.
"It would put millions of dollars into our state's economy to just give us those extra four days," says Hocker.
Hocker says SB 204 passed the Senate on its first attempt, but ran out of time to get voted on in the house. The next year it did not make it out of committee. This year Hocker is hoping the third time will be the charm.
"The only ones who really spoke against the bill in committee hearing was the Department of Education and the School Board Association," Hocker says. "That's the part I really don't understand because when you have a state that spends a third of its budget on education, an awful lot of that budget comes from your business people."
Hocker points out that the Indian River and Cape Henlopen school districts both start after Labor Day and consistently rank amongst the top schools in the state.Â
Lisa Burk, who's daughter went to Sussex Central High School, says starting after Labor Day has historically helped IRSD avoid the summer traffic. She says requiring everyone to have the same start date would make for a level playing field.
"It allows if one kid has to transfer from one school district, they're not going extra weeks in school if they're moving across town," says Burk.
Robert Walker's grandson, Edwin, is a future H.O. Brittingham Elementary Student. He says starting after Labor Day in a resort area has it's perks so that families can enjoy their summer, but that the start date should be up to the districts.
"Teenagers, I mean they want to get out of school and get onto college," says Walker. "The longer you stay in, next thing you know you got snow days, we're going into late June now, summer vacation is all screwed up."
Hocker says moving the start date wouldn't necessarily keep kids in school further into June as districts are required to fulfill hours not days. He says in the past, those opposed to this bill worried about school districts losing the control they have over their school calendars. He says this year he has enough votes to get the bill passed, but he's worried that opposition from the Democrat Caucus will cause the Senate will reassign it to another committee.