As students across Texas return to classrooms this month, a state lawmaker is pushing for a major change to when the school year can begin.
State Rep. Jared Patterson is preparing legislation that would move the start of the school year to after Labor Day, arguing that students and school staff should not have to return during the hottest part of the Texas summer.
The proposal comes as many Houston-area students head back to school in August. Houston ISD started its 2026-27 school year on Aug. 10, while many other major districts, including Cypress-Fairbanks, Conroe and Katy ISDs, began Aug. 12. Crosby ISD started even earlier, on Aug. 5, while Pearland ISD is among the later-starting districts, with classes beginning Aug. 19…