Local districts lead the way as school year starts earlier across S.C.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - It might be hard to believe, but some South Carolina students are already back in school – including in Aiken, Edgefield and McCormick counties.
They’re among six South Carolina school districts already back in the classroom.
That’s despite a state law saying no students should be back for about another month.
“Yeah, it was a little bit shocking to us to hear how early some of them are going back,” said Sherry East. with the South Carolina Education Association.
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South Carolina law states the first day of school should be no earlier than the third Monday in August, which is Aug. 19 this year.
But districts can go back earlier by adopting what’s known as a “year-round modified school calendar.”
That’s what the local districts have done.
That does not necessarily mean they are in school year-round, but it does give them added flexibility in their schedule, including in setting their first day. These districts are still required to provide the mandatory 180 days of instruction as required by law.
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This year, 71 districts have adopted these calendars and will begin school before Aug. 19, when the last two districts in the state will return.
The number of districts using a modified calendar this year is up from previous years: Last year, 61 districts went back before the third Monday in August, and the year before, just 21 did.
East said the jury is still out on whether this trend is beneficial or needs some closer oversight.
“We’re kind of watching to see,” she said. “We’re hearing a lot of complaints right now because it shortens your summer one summer. But next year, you’ll make up for it, you’ll get out earlier.”
East said some teachers who work in districts where a modified calendar has been in place for a few years like how it provides more breaks throughout the year.
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But she added they do have some concerns about the lack of uniformity statewide for families that might have to move in late summer.
“Let’s say you lived in Myrtle Beach, and you decided to move to Aiken. Your child’s already missed three weeks of school. So you’re really putting a student behind if they moved around in our state to one of these districts that started early,” East said.
With so many districts adopting modified calendars this year, it raises the question of whether that makes the state law setting the mandatory start date obsolete.
East said it is worth lawmakers taking a closer look at whether this requirement is still needed.
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