Committee hears bill to let districts start school before Labor Day for two years

Senator Scott Swazinski introduced Senate File 1336 on March 12, 2025, asking the Senate Education Policy Committee to give school boards a two‑year option to start the academic year before Labor Day.

The bill would permit local school boards to adopt an earlier start date for the 2026‑27 and 2027‑28 school years without the current construction‑related exception or needing special permission from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE). Swazinski said the change is temporary and designed to test whether earlier starts help districts avoid late‑June end dates that can harm student outcomes and district finances.

Supporters told the committee an earlier start could provide more instructional days before spring assessments and reduce summer learning loss. Colin Cox, school board chair for Saint Louis Park Public Schools, said his district considered a 2026‑27 calendar that would end around June 15 and that earlier starts help align calendars with staff professional development, holidays and technical education internships. Manny Fletcher, superintendent of Blue Earth Area Schools, said…