Louisiana's School Calendar Changes: What Parents Should Know

We are past the halfway mark for summer and are about a month away from the beginning of a new school year. I know it’s hard to imagine summer will be over for students and teachers in just a few more weeks.

Many of us remember when summer was a good 3 months of a magical vacation. That doesn’t happen anymore. Most school systems now begin classes in early August.

Summer for students and teachers in Louisiana is now only a little longer than 2 months.

Many school systems around the state begin school during the first week of August this year.

It seems every year school begins earlier and earlier. Part of the problem has to do with standardized testing that has to be done each spring. School systems have to develop a schedule to make sure that is accounted for. Most school districts have also implemented a fall break into the calendar.

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But Caddo Parish leaders have actually pushed the start back a bit this year. Classes started on August 8 last year, but the first day of class this coming year is not until August 13. Bossier and DeSoto Parishes are starting classes a day earlier than they did last year, but Webster Parish has bumped the later by 2 days.