Chicago schools could start before Labor Day

CHICAGO — All Chicago Public Schools would start classes before Labor Day and end in mid-June under a newly proposed academic calendar.

Currently, the district's 618 schools start after Labor Day and have different days off during the academic year. A new calendar proposed Friday would put all 403,000 students on the same schedule. They would start classes on Aug. 26 this year.

The proposal also calls for professional development to occur on full days of non-student attendance instead of on half days. Many parents and guardians told school officials the half days made planning for work and child care difficult.

The proposed schedule was created by CPS officials and representatives of the Chicago Teachers' Union, with input from the community. The Chicago Board of Education will vote on it Wednesday.