Wisconsin vacation economy hurt if schools start before Sept. 1, says tourism secretary

Lawmakers pushing to rescind state law that restricts a pre-Sept. 1 start.

Wisconsin’s tourism secretary is enforcing the idea that schools should wait until after Sept. 1 to begin session.

In testimony in Madison on Tuesday, Stephanie Klett told lawmakers that allowing districts to start before September would definitely hurt the state’s tourism economy.

“A big thing for us, is that our biggest competitors, Michigan and Minnesota have a Sept. 1 start date,” she said. “We’ve heard from folks in all 72 counties. It would have a tremendous impact on tourism.”

Starting before that, she believes, would limit Wisconsin’s summer vacation economy.

“In August vs. June,” Klett said, “June, especially in the northwoods, the lakes are still cold.”

A few lawmakers are, again, pushing to rescind the state law restricting districts from starting before Sept. 1. School administrators say fall athletics and spring AP tests make the move necessary.