COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- It's back to school week for much of central Ohio, but decades ago students would still have some summer break left.
It used to be common for schools to return after Labor Day, but just three out of dozens central Ohio districts will begin after Sept. 1 this year. In Ohio, the switch to earlier classes came 30 years ago with an emphasis on school tests.
Beginning with the graduating class of 1994, Ohio legislators required public school students to take standardized tests in high school to ensure proficiency in key subjects. This was extended further in 2002 when the No Child Left Behind Act was introduced and mandated standardized testing.
List: Back to school dates for central Ohio’s 2025-26 school yearToday, Ohio requires students in grades 3-8 to take standardized tests in English and math, and grades 5 and 8 must also take a science test. High school students must also prove competency in English and Algebra, although state tests are just one way to achieve this requirement.
These tests are administered in the spring, starting in late March. As standardized tests became integral to measuring student and district success, schools began to start earlier to allow more time to prepare. If a test is in April, a mid-August to late May calendar offers more time to prepare than a September to June school year.
Although standardized tests drove the move toward earlier start dates, they are not the only factor. In central Ohio, 95% of school districts start between Aug. 10 and 23 this year, according to an analysis of back to school dates. However, some states' average start dates skew closer to the start of the month, and some trail into September.
Some states have laws dictating when they begin. For instance, Iowa has a law preventing schools from starting before Aug. 23 to ensure there is no crossover between school and the Iowa State Fair. Other states respond to local community wishes, such as in Georgia, where nearly three-quarters of schools have switched to an earlier start so they can have more breaks during the year.
Ohio grants school districts the right to choose when they start school, but most choose mid-August. The Ohio High School Athletic Association sets a start date for when sports can begin coaching, and most fall sports fall around Aug. 1. Schools are incentivized to go back by the time sports seasons begin in mid to late August.
Ohio has one of highest tipping rates in United States, analysis of Toast data findsStarting in mid-August also allows Ohio students to have a clean break between semesters. A later start date pushes the end of the semester back, and some schools used to have semester exams after their winter break ended. Starting earlier helps ensure districts can wrap up the semester before the holidays so students aren't tested after weeks off from school.
Although most schools start earlier, no school is required to. Districts set dates to reflect the needs and expectations of their communities.
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