Governor Terry Branstad is expected to approve a compromise bill that sets August 23rd as the earliest date when school districts in Iowa can begin a new academic year.

The measure, which was passed by both chambers at the Statehouse, is headed to the Governor's desk after a procedural hold placed on the bill was lift this morning (Tuesday, March 31, 2015). Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) stalled the measure last week, citing concerns that high schools would not able to set year-round calendars in the future.

Despite his concerns, Gronstal decided to release the bill this morning. The compromise agreement sets the official start of a school district's academic year “on or after August 23rd”. Iowa schools can't start fall classes this year until Monday, August 24th.

After the bill was released to move forward, Governor Branstad told reporters the measure is a “reasonable compromise” that brings a long-term resolution to the debate over when school district's should begin their academic year. Branstad indicated he'll sign the bill into law.

The legislation is the response to new guidelines developed by the Iowa Department of Education at Branstad’s directive. The Governor recently asked the agency to halt the practice of granting virtually all waiver requests from schools seeking to bypass current law, which says classes should not begin before the week that includes Sept. 1.

Branstad said the change was prompted by complaints from parents, state tourism officials and others concerned that early school starts were cramping family vacation time and costing millions of dollars annually in lost tourism as students returned to classes as early as mid-August.

In the current school year, all but two of Iowa’s 338 public K-12 school districts sought and were granted waivers from the current law. Nearly 70 districts started fall semester classes during the second week of August and 14 districts started after August 23rd.

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