Calling All Marylanders! Take Back Your Summer by Supporting a Post-Labor Day School Start

ANNAPOLIS, Md., Jan. 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Marylanders for a Longer Summer is launching a new campaign for Maryland residents to reclaim their summer vacations by supporting a post-Labor Day start to the school year. The campaign will feature full page ads that will run during the next week in Maryland publications, including: The Washington Post, The Capital Gazette, Baltimore Sun, Carroll County Times, Cumberland Times-News, Easton Star Democrat, Frederick News-Post, Hagerstown Herald-Mail and Salisbury Daily Times.

Across Maryland, students have been returning to school as early as Aug. 20 in some districts. Marylanders for a Longer Summer, which is supported by members of the business community, educators, political leaders and ordinary citizens, is encouraging Maryland parents to speak up on their children's behalf and voice their support for the campaign to state legislators and school board officials.

To accommodate a post-Labor Day start, school systems would be required to make modest adjustments to their existing calendars to complete the 180 days of school required by state law – a schedule that schools throughout Maryland used to follow for many years.  There have already been a number of case studies and actions taken by Maryland leaders to help this bipartisan movement gain considerable momentum over the past three years, including:

• A 2013 study by the Maryland's Bureau of Revenue Estimates found that a post-Labor Day school start could generate an additional $74.3 million in direct economy activity, including $3.7 million in new wages, and $7.7 million in state and local tax revenue.
• In spring 2014, a legislative task force comprised of leaders from the Maryland State Department of Education, teachers, administrators, parents of students in the Maryland public schools and small business owners, voted overwhelmingly to endorse a post-Labor Day start.
• In January 2015, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot announced that his petition drive to garner 10,000 signatures in support of a post-Labor Day start exceeded expectations by attracting 13,244 signatures, including that of Governor Larry Hogan.
• According to the latest independent poll conducted by Goucher College, 72 percent of Marylanders from across the state support a post-Labor Day start.
• During the 2014-2015 school year, the Worcester County public school system proved that a post-Labor Day school start worked without difficulty. Students started classes the Tuesday after Labor Day, completed 180 days and still adjourned by June 16.

Maryland residents can learn more about the benefits behind a post-Labor Day school start and voice their support for the campaign by visiting LongerSummerNow.com, where they can complete a short online form to let state representatives and school board officials know they agree with a change to the school year.

About Marylanders for a Longer Summer
Formed in 2016, Marylanders for a Longer Summer is supported by members of the business community, educators, political leaders and ordinary citizens who believe that starting school after Labor Day just makes sense. For more information or to show your support, visit LongerSummerNow.com.

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SOURCE Marylanders for a Longer Summer

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http://LongerSummerNow.com