Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Rural Wisconsin Districts Seek Early School Start

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 07/14/20

Rural school districts in Wisconsin have asked the state to begin school earlier than usual citing concerns that the pandemic has interfered with student progress, reports the Wisconsin State Journal. 

Eleven out of the 421 public school districts in the state have applied for a waiver to begin school in August. State law prohibits public schools from starting before Sept. 1. 

The districts who applied for the waiver are: Alma Center-Humbird-Merrillan, Brillion, Cornell, Greenwood, Kickapoo, Melrose-Mindoro, Peshtigo, Rice Lake, Stanley-Boyd, Wausaukee and Webster.

“Since so many families do not have access to internet or their internet isn’t always reliable, especially for video transmission, we want to get an early start to the year so if we have to shut down for a while, hopefully we won’t have to do as many virtual learning days and still be done with school by June,” Paul Schley, superintendent of the Cornell School District, told the Wisconsin State Journal. 

Other school districts cited that an early school year would allow for a jump on school construction planned next summer, a chance for teachers and students to reconnect, and extra time off incorporated into the school year if adjustments are needed. 

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Florida District Completes Construction on New Leadership Institute

    Pinellas County Schools near Tampa, Fla., recently announced that construction is complete on the new Dr. Michael A. Grego Leadership Institute, according to a news release. The district partnered with Rowe Architects for the project’s design and with Skanska for construction services.

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.

  • Johns Hopkins Starts Construction on New Residence Hall, Dining Facility

    The Homewood Campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., recently began construction on a new residence hall and dining facility, according to university news. The work involves demolishing the existing Alumni Memorial Residence Hall I, which was built in 1923, to make room for the new facility.

  • Higher Ed is Betting on New Buildings While Quietly Undermining Their Campuses — Here’s Why

    In this climate, the owner’s representative has changed from a delivery-focused advisor to a strategic campus partner. Institutions are increasingly relying on owner’s reps not just to manage, cope, schedule, and budget, but also help evaluate whether a project should proceed at all.