Guidance on School Start Date Waivers Released

Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck informed school administrators in December 2014 that the Department will no longer automatically grant waivers from the school start date law, which says schools cannot begin classes before the week of September 1 unless they provide evidence of “significant negative educational impact.”

Iowa law does not define “significant negative educational impact” or establish guidelines for considering waivers. This guidance document, released to school administrators on Jan. 21, does both of these things.