Press Release

Board Considers Starting School Year Before Labor Day

The Board of Education agreed this week to consider starting school in mid-August for the 2001-2002 school year.

District staff proposed a school year that would begin August 20 and end May 24.

The proposal would match suburban districts so Denver students have the same amount of time in classrooms prior to taking tests under the Colorado Student Assessment Program.

The Board agreed to consider the idea, but won't make a final decision until after a thorough round of community feedback.

A final decision could come in October.

Beginning with the 1997-1998 school year, the Board moved the school year start from August to the first Tuesday in September.

But Superintendent Bernadette Seick told the Board this week that the goal of avoiding the weeks-long process of reaching full enrollment has not been avoided by the post-Labor Day start.

"That really didn't pan out," she said.

With the state setting a February timeframe for CSAP administration - and so much at stake in terms of consequences from CSAP scores - Seick asked the Board to put Denver on the same starting line as other districts for the academic year.

Two chances to address the Board of Education directly include:

• The September 28th Community Forum at Kaiser Elementary (7 p.m., 4500 S. Quitman Street);
• The monthly public hearing on October 5 (7 p.m., First Floor Board Room, 900 Grant St.).

A complete analysis of the calendar proposal is posted below.
Proposed Calendar for the 2001-2002 School Year

Also, comments may be faxed 720-423-3413) to the Public Information Office.

Under the draft calendar proposed by district staff, the key dates for the 2001-2002 calendar proposed would be: