Georgia District's Schoolchildren Already Back in Class

Susanna Capelouto:

While many students around the country still have weeks left of vacation, the school year began today in Rockdale County, Ga. The early start is part of a trend in pockets of the country, as summer breaks get shorter.

Schools are under pressure to raise test scores, and experts say a shorter break can help kids retain what they've learned in the previous year. But parents are split over whether that's worth sacrificing their childrens' summers.

Rockdale County, 20 miles east of Atlanta, is one of a handful of school systems that are opening up in July. And an early August start date is now common in Georgia. The trade-off for the short summer break comes in the form of two week-long breaks through out the year.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at August 1, 2006 12:36 PM
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