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KY Senate Approves Bill Promoting Later School Start Dates

DAPHOTO, 123RF STOCK PHOTO

  The Kentucky Senate has passed legislation that offers an incentive for school districts to voluntarily push back the start of the school year to late August.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer says the trend toward earlier starting school dates has hurt tourism and students don't learn as well when it's hot.

Some Kentucky school districts start classes in early August.

Under the bill passed Thursday, districts that don't resume classes at least until the Monday closest to August 26 would not have to meet the state's 170-day requirement, but would still have to meet the state-mandated minimum of 1,062 hours.

The bill heads to the House of Representatives, and House Speaker Jeff Hoover says he hasn't reviewed it but he likes that it would be voluntary.

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