As reported in the Daily Record, a new poll of 708 residents released by the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College found that 71 percent of those asked said they supported moving the start of school until after Labor Day while 17 percent said they opposed.

Maryland Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot has stated that a later start date would bring economic benefits to the State by extending summer vacations.  In August, the Comptroller kicked off the “Let Summer Be Summer” campaign, stating,

“Busy families have so little time to spend together to build lifelong memories. Increasingly, the end-of-summer vacation no longer happens because of decisions to begin school a week, or even ten days, before Labor Day,” Comptroller Franchot said. “This not only cuts into one last chance for Marylanders to spend time together as a family, but it also negatively impacts small businesses throughout our state. We all need to do what we can to support small businesses and promote economic activity. To continue as we have causes unnecessary harm to our economy for no good reason.”

The Task Force to Study a Post Labor-Day Start Date for Maryland Public Schools recommended a post-Labor Day school start date by a vote of 12-3 in its June 2014 report.

For more information, see the full story from the Daily Record and the Office of the Comptroller and the Task Force to Study a Post Labor-Day Start Date for Maryland Public Schools.