Climate definitely plays a role. My NY school growing up went labor day to the end of June. It didn’t have air conditioning so being in school July or August would have been miserable. I remember how sweltering final exams sometimes got.

Los Angeles here, DC goes back at the end of the month (right before Labor Day weekend) and they're out of school early June.

We get out before Memorial Day in Colorado. It was great when we took an early summer trip to the DC area to show our kids where we used to live and had Udvar-Hazy practically all to ourselves a few years ago.

I am in Dallas. Most kids are back to school this week or next. It is so miserable here (105+ every day, plus humidity) that you really can't go outside or do anything fun. Might as well be in school.

Anonymous wrote:We are in NC. Year round middle school started last week. Off for three weeks in October, three in January, three in April and then most of June and part of July.

How is this schedule for families where both parents work outside the home? Everywhere I’ve lived the school break programs are staffed primarily by college students, which wouldn’t work with the Oct/Jan/Apr parts of this schedule.

Anonymous wrote:My friends in Minnesota started the last week of July. Their summer starts in early May.

That’s unusual. Most MN schools start after Labor Day and end in early to mid June.

Anonymous wrote:It's climate-based in many warm areas. August is brutal so you may as well be in school. June is lovely and a great time to be outside or traveling.

I don't see the connection to working parents, unless you're asking for a shorter summer.

+1. In most of the world, summer holiday is 8 weeks. Also, imagine the havoc that would be wreaked on airports and highway traffic if every school kid in the us got out on the same day. Pure chaos.

Anonymous wrote:when you're so ready to complain that schools don't do enough for working parents that you forget that the earth rotates

ILY

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are in NC. Year round middle school started last week. Off for three weeks in October, three in January, three in April and then most of June and part of July.

I’m envious (except for the 3 weeks in January, I don’t want that)

It’s different depending what “track” you are on. Ours happens to have the three week Jan break. Others have it in Feb or March. It’s a good system but a little confusing. Ha

Anonymous wrote:We are in NC. Year round middle school started last week. Off for three weeks in October, three in January, three in April and then most of June and part of July.

I’m envious (except for the 3 weeks in January, I don’t want that)

When I was growing up in Hawaii at my private school the students got a full 3 weeks winter break (so with weekends nearly a month) and a full 2 weeks spring break (so 10 school days plus 3 weekends). More frequent breaks throughout the year. Our summer vacation was about 6 weeks May-July. Not sure if the public schools are similar.

Anonymous wrote:We are in NC. Year round middle school started last week. Off for three weeks in October, three in January, three in April and then most of June and part of July.

Very similar for my sister who is a teacher in Reno. She loves it! No burnout.

My niece and nephew in Hawaii have already started.

My friends in Minnesota started the last week of July. Their summer starts in early May.

Anonymous wrote:My friend in Vegas' kids have already started school. They go early August to late May. MCPS is late August to mid-June. Why isn't it semi-universal? How does any of this help working parents?

Having staggered start and end times helps the summer tourism industry have a much longer season nearly double. Think it’s hard to get to a seaside rental now? If the season were half as long, it would be much harder.