When I was a kid, I always missed the first week of school because my elementary school started the same time summer school ended at the college where my dad worked. So we would take a week to go to the beach just before Labor Day. When I became a parent, I was aghast that school started the first full week of August! That always caused problems because that was the week of the local festival, as well. After decades of a useless three-day first week of school, they have changed the schedule locally (the school, not the festival -priorities, ya know).
Meanwhile, schools in New York City begin the school year after Labor Day, and continue until the second half of June. One percent of schools in the US start the year in July! Why is there so much variation in the American school year? In the United States, K-12 schools are under state and local control, so there's not a one-size-fits-all rule. While we are sure that part of the variation is because "that's the way it's always been done," there are real reasons for the regional school year start times.
(Image credit: MassDOT)
But that A/C ain't cheap. And school consolidation also means that kids are spending way more time on school buses, sometimes an hour each way, and they are not air conditioned.