Hillsborough schools to head back earlier next year

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Kids in Hillsborough County will be starting school and their summer vacations earlier next year.

The Hillsborough County School Board decided to make the change on Thursday.

Based on the new schedule, students’ first day of school will now be Wednesday, August 10, 2016. Their last will be Friday, May 26, 2017.

The thinking behind the move is this: Students will be able to get their mid-terms out of the way before their winter break. As the current schedule stands, students go on vacation, then have to come back and get back into the swing of studying again before they take their tests.

School board members say another pay off with the new schedule comes at the end of the school year, as it will now fall before the Memorial Day Weekend.

But while it’s received a lot of support, not everyone is going for the changes hook, line and sinker.

Tourism officials are concerned that starting the school year earlier may cut into the profits of area hotels, restaurants and attractions. Families may have to make adjustments to their vacation schedules as well.

The hardest part may be that summer vacation next year is going to be cut a few weeks short because students will end the current school year as its scheduled, and start the new one earlier.