Help us to push Palm Beach and Broward County School Districts to move their 2026-2027 school year start date no earlier than Monday, August 17, 2026 - which is one week later than originally planned to allow students to attend camps in the Northeast without being forced to choose between missing time at camp or missing time at school.

In recent years, tens of thousands of children from Florida have faced a conflict between attending summer camp in the northeastern United States and the start of their academic year. The current start dates of schools in South Florida often overlap with the closing weeks of many renowned summer camps, causing families to make the difficult decision to either A) Miss the beginning of their school year to finish camp or B) leave camp before the completion of their summer programs. Choosing to miss school affects children's attendance and academics while also hurting the school district.  Choosing to leave camp early not only disrupts their camp experiences but also affects their social development and integration, cutting short friendships and valuable mentorships that are nurtured during camp stays.

Parents and guardians understand the immense benefits of summer camps—both educational and recreational. Camps offer a unique environment where children develop essential life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and resilience. They learn to handle responsibilities, face challenges, and engage with nature, contributing significantly to their personal growth. However, the current school calendar deprives Florida children of these important experiences and memories.

Adjusting the academic calendar to start even a week later than prior years (later than August 17, 2026), as executed successfully in nearly every other state, can be a viable solution. This change would not only allow children to enjoy their summer camps to the fullest but would also harmonize the school calendar with family vacation plans, thus maximizing the quality time families spend together.  As an added consideration, this change could also benefit Florida teachers looking for summer camp leadership roles to help supplement their salaries, which they cannot do currently due to date conflicts.

Moreover, research has shown that beginning the school year later, or even after Labor Day does not negatively impact student performance. Instead, it can lead to greater enthusiasm for learning as students return from a more balanced summer break refreshed and mentally prepared for the school year.

Florida School Boards must consider the educational, social, and emotional needs of their students. By shifting the start of the school year to September, we can align with the dates of northeastern summer camps, offering our children the complete camp experience they deserve.

Join us in urging Florida School Boards to adjust their school calendars so that our kids can continue to benefit from their experiences at summer camp without impacting their academic attendance and vice versa. Sign this petition and support the change that respects our children's needs for complete and enriching summer experiences in tandem with their academic school year