School Start Date

School Start Date

The state’s accountability system requires school districts to administer criteria referenced tests (commonly known as CST tests) in the spring of the year. For high schools this involves all 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th graders in math, English, science and social studies. The required day for testing is dependent upon when school starts. It is possible for the required test days to conflict with Advanced Placement (AP) test days and students taking those tests are in an academic dilemma, do I put effort into the AP tests or into the CST tests? AP test days are set by the College Board so, the only test days controllable by the school district are the CST test dates. Scheduling the CST tests so they would not conflict with the AP exams required starting the school year earlier so the mandated CST test days occur before the AP test days. The Central Union High School District Board has approved school calendars which start about 1 week earlier than surrounding districts to accomplish this.

Starting the second week of August has made it possible to end first semester before winter break similar to college schedules. It has also improved instructional efficiencies by scheduling semester exams before the winter break.

Lastly, the earlier start has in some years depending on the calendar enabled the end of school to occur before Memorial Day.

Starting school the second week of August and earlier than many surrounding school districts while instructionally advantageous does present some disadvantages. Currently, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.