Why Does Washington Wait So Long to Send Kids Back to School?

I’m scrolling through my social media, and I’m seeing so many kids going back to school already, but Washington State doesn’t start until much later compared to most states.

Why Washington’s Back-to-School Calendar Is Different From Other States

It got me thinking, why such a long delay for the Evergreen State?

Still on Summer Break? Why Washington Schools Start So Late

Of course, in other states, if they go earlier, they also get earlier than students in Washington State.

It might surprise you to discover that 81% of students are back in school nationwide before Washington State.

Most schools are back in session by mid-August in states like Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas.

New York has a law that states schools can’t start before September 1st.

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Each school year is 180 days, and it’s up to local state and local school boards to decide the school year. Some believe that crops once dictated when kids went to school based on the harvest season, but those days have long gone.

Some say it’s tradition and too much of a pain to change after all these years. There is NO mandatory start date from the federal government, so school dates are decided at the state and local level each year.

It’s fascinating, but I guess it all comes down to if you want a longer summer vacation until the end of August, or get out of school mid-June or start earlier and get out of school June 1st.

For now, it looks like Washington State is sticking with tradition and starting later than most states in the nation.