Some Central Florida districts starting classes early for 2016 school year

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The school year will start Monday for students in Orange, Volusia and Polk counties.

For Orange County schools, the Aug. 15 start date is a week earlier than in 2015.

Officials say the change will help students retain what they’ve learned instead of jumping into testing after a two-week winter break.

“The end of first semester testing will happen before winter break, so kids won’t be taking a two-week break and then have to come back and take testing,” OCPS spokeswoman Shari Bobinski said. “It was always ideal to take the test before you go on winter break. It’s all fresh in your mind and you’re not having to study then during winter break.”

The new school calendar means the first semester will be 84 days long with winter break taking place from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2.

For parents like Dominique Rivera, having her kids start school a little earlier is not a big deal.

“Personally, I’m OK with it because he’s excited about school,” she said of her son.

Cox Media Group