>We are a little luckier in that our district does not start until Aug 16 for the kids [veteran teachers 1 week earlier and new ones 2 weeks earlier]. I can't imagine what our districts could save in cooling costs if they just waited until the first week in Sept like we used to some 25 years ago. As you know, August is brutal in the south, and I would much prefer to take our family vacations during that month and flee to the north. Unfortunately our schools for the most part have screwed that up for us.

I don't understand the point either. AFAIK, they're not lengthening the school year, just shifting it earlier. Does anyone know why the push to start in August instead of September and finish in May instead of June?

Up here, one of the reasons we're still September to June is that most schools are not air-conditioned. As it is, there can be some pretty tough days at the beginning and end of the school year.

Tamar