School Boards May Be Able to Decide When to Start School Each Year

January 27, 1998
By: Caroline Noel
State Capital Bureau A compromise forged during a House Committee recess Tuesday may allow Missouri school boards to decide when to start school each year. Caroline Noel has that story from the State Capital.

Missouri law currently dictates that schools start after September 1st. Under a bill sponsored by House Majority Leader Gracia Backer, that law would be waived.

During the bill's hearing, supporters of the bill clashed with tourism industry advocates, who say the later school starts, the better it is for business.

Kansas City Representative McLuckie may have a compromise that makes everyone happy.

He proposed that school boards be able to decide when they want to open, as long as they close on the Friday before Labor Day.

Actuality:
RunTime:
OutCue:
Contents: " I offer a compromise that we allow schools to open whenever they want to for three years. Tourism industry could then come back to us and say look at all the money we lost. If we think it's a serious problem we could change it at that point."

Representative McLuckie could not specify when the bill would be put to a vote. From Jefferson City this is Caroline Noel.

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