HARRISBURG – PA’s school year would begin after the Labor Day holiday under proposed legislation. House Bill 370 is offered by Philadelphia County Rep. Jose Giral. Currently, there is no uniformity in PA as to when a school can begin the academic year. Instead, local school boards govern individual district starting dates. Giral says starting the school year after Labor Day would be better economically for families and for PA as a whole. Other states such as Maryland, Michigan, and Virginia have enacted similar laws and have begun to see boosts in their economy as well as substantial savings in utility costs. In PA, where tourism is the second biggest revenue source, a later start would equal more money for the state. The bill is now before the PA House Education Committee.
REP. JOSE GIRAL