Officials, educators divided over earlier school start

VIRGINIA BEACH

Principal James Pohl at Princess Anne High School wants more time.

More time before state and other high-stakes testing begins in May. The way he and many other educators see it, an earlier start to the school year would mean higher scores.

And in the spring, Pohl finally may get his wish. After years of debate, Gov. Bob McDonnell has thrown his support behind repealing the state law that prohibits most schools from opening before Labor Day.

"The earlier we can start, the better chance our students have of being successful," Pohl said.

McDonnell could hardly have picked an issue with a hotter button for Virginia Beach. While Superintendent James Merrill said he's "ecstatic" about the move, business leaders in tourism - the city's second-largest industry - are gearing up for a fight.

"We absolutely feel that schools should not start until after Labor Day," said Nancy Marscheider, executive director of the Virginia Beach Hotel-Motel Association. The group will work "to let the senators and delegates and the governor know how much this will impact us."

McDonnell argued that 77 of the state's 132 school divisions already have waivers that allow them to open early, many in the western areas where snow regularly closes schools. None of the South Hampton Roads divisions opened before Labor Day at the start of the 2011-12 school year.

Officials in Suffolk, Chesapeake, Norfolk and Portsmouth also said they would consider adjusting their calendars if the governor's bill passes. None thought it could be done easily for next fall.

Harry Murphy, chairman of the Chesapeake School Board, said his schools could use the extra flexibility in their calendars to expand breaks and shuffle holidays. He and Kirk Houston, chairman of Norfolk's board, said local control is important.

And then there's the testing.

The state schedules its latest Standards of Learning tests in May largely because of a deadline to send results to the federal government, said Jared Cotton, an associate superintendent with Virginia Beach schools. The Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exam dates are set in May by national organizations. Educators worry that Virginia's late start puts students at a disadvantage compared with other states.

The flip side of the debate is economic. It was the tourism industry that in 1986 argued it needed the late-summer labor of high school students and teachers and a steady stream of tourists through Labor Day.

When the so-called "Kings Dominion law" was passed, the tourism industry saw an uptick in business, said Jim Ricketts, tourism director for Virginia Beach.

The numbers still support their argument, he said. In 2010, Virginia Beach hotels were at 87 percent occupancy in the third week of August but 78 percent in the fourth week.

"It drops 10 points because folks are getting ready to go back to school," he said, adding the concern is that starting earlier would push up that drop-off by a week.

Opening earlier means schools let out earlier, but Marscheider said spring tourism isn't the same.

"May is not summer," she said. "The water's not really warm. The high hot season is in July and August."

Officials of Kings Dominion, the central Virginia theme park, has argued that a repeal would hurt jobs and families.

Both sides have data to support their arguments, but the Virginia Beach City Council wants more information. Last week it decided to ask the legislature's research arm to study the statewide economic impact of an earlier start date.

"Would it really hurt tourism? Would it really help the schools that much?" asked Councilwoman Rosemary Wilson, who proposed the resolution.

There's still one group that hasn't spoken up this year, and it could sway the argument.

About a decade ago, vocal parents halted a Virginia Beach plan to expand the school year and bring students back before Labor Day for pretesting and teacher training. Under pressure, the School Board decided against it.

Lynne Lowe, president of the Chesapeake Council of Parent-Teacher Associations, said parents are torn.

"I hear a mixed bag," she said.

"Obviously, everybody really likes having that last little bit of summer. In the same token, when you look at test scores, there's a bit of a jump some schools have on our kids.... With my friends, it goes back and forth. It truly does."

Elisabeth Hulette, (757) 222-5216, elisabeth.hulette@pilotonline.com