State Rep. Pamela Hornberger, of Chesterfield Township, today commented on a proposal before the House Education Committee that will preserve local control involving school year start dates.

House Bill 4087 will remove a Michigan Department of Education waiver requirement allowing for school districts to pick the start date that works best for them.

“This legislation will allow locally elected school boards to do what is best for their students and parents while casting aside an outdated one-size-fits-all approach,” said Hornberger, who chairs the committee. “We need to trust locally elected boards of education to make these decisions without an entangled bureaucratic waiver process.”

A state law passed in 2005 mandates the first day of school in Michigan cannot occur until after Labor Day.  Current law allows districts to apply for a waiver to start classes before Labor Day. For the 2018-2019 school year, 151 waivers were approved. Hornberger’s plan eliminates the need to apply – districts would simply be able to set their own calendars as they see fit.

HB 4087 remains under consideration in the House Education Committee.

PHOTO INFORMATON: State Rep. Pamela Hornberger, of Chesterfield Township, offers comments on Tuesday before the House Education Committee. Hornberger has proposed legislation that will allow local school districts in Michigan to set their own school year start dates without applying for a waiver from the Michigan Department of Education.