Recently, the Iowa State Board of Education voted to keep the same system of when school districts can officially start school.

According to State Code, Iowa school districts are required to start school after September 1st.  However, most school districts, including Jefferson-Scranton and East Greene have applied for early start waivers to allow districts to set their own start dates in August.

Jefferson-Scranton and East Greene Superintendent Tim Christensen says he supports individual district’s ability to select their own school year start date, but disagrees with the state requiring districts to start after September 1st and have to apply for a waiver.

“To me, I guess I’m looking at it as if they’re going to give local school districts the ability to start when they want to, I wish that’s what the legislation said is again school districts can start when they want to and do anyway with the whole waiver process that we have.”

He states that the reason why both school districts start early is because fall sport practices begin in early August and he feels its best to get kids enrolled and back into school while practices and games are going on.

Both Jefferson-Scranton and East Greene school districts will start the 2013-14 school year on Wednesday, August 21st.